Humanitarian Groups Say Border Patrol Surveillance Hampering Efforts to Help Distressed Migrants

AP ^ | AP-ES-06-09-05 2230EDT

[TheOtherOne]

Humanitarian Groups Say Border Patrol Surveillance Hampering Efforts to Help Distressed Migrants

By Arthur H. Rotstein Associated Press Writer
Published: Jun 9, 2005 TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) - Humanitarian groups setting up emergency camps in the desert to try to save some of the illegal immigrants who die trying to cross the border said Thursday that Border Patrol surveillance will hinder their efforts.

Churches and humanitarian groups have set up camps dubbed "Arks of the Covenant" - one in Arizona and one in northern Sonora, Mexico - to provide food, water and medical help to immigrants who otherwise might die in the desert's summer heat.

But the Rev. John Fife of Southside Presbyterian Church in Tucson said stricter Border Patrol surveillance will stop immigrants from seeking help because many immigrants will not enter a camp if they see a Border Patrol agent parked nearby.

The Border Patrol has increased patrols and agents recently, especially in California and Texas, making Arizona the busiest point along the Mexican border for illegal crossers.

Michael Nicley, who took over as interim chief of the Border Patrol's Tucson sector last August, said he has told officials that "there are no free zones in the Tucson sector. There is not an avenue of ingress where Border Patrol agents do not patrol."

He added that he had "no interest in keeping them from providing humanitarian aid. Quite the contrary."

He said people who need help "time and time again" seek out Border Patrol agents and the presence of an agent within shouting distance is the quickest way to get an immigrant emergency medical care.

The Border Patrol said 172 migrant deaths in Arizona last fiscal year, while critics said at least 221 people died, many because of heat as summer temperatures in the desert rose up to 110 degrees.

The camps are part of a larger campaign by a coalition of human rights groups and churches called No More Deaths. The group is trying to draw attention to what it says is flawed immigration policy and urge reform.

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On the Net:

No More Deaths: www.nomoredeaths.org

Border Patrol: www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/enforcement/

AP-ES-06-09-05 2230EDT

[AZ_Cowboy]

Ping

[cripplecreek]

If they stay in Mexico they won't become distressed now will they?

[Paul Atreides]

I was thinking the same thing.

[Clock King]

I say again, we should just conquer Mexico and make it part of the US. Remove Fox, and kill the drug lords.

[Clock King]

"Humanitarians" be damned. What the hell have they done to really solve the problem or even expose the root causes of it (ethnic cleansing)?

[twas]

These open border people are becoming increasingly desperate to spin the border issue in their favor.

[Navy Patriot]

Assisting an illegal entry into the United States is a crime. These Presbyterians and humanitarians should be making their complaints from a Federal jail cell.

[cripplecreek]

I saw a show a while back where one of the open border people was giving the usual spiel when he suddenly spouted "the racists who don't want immigration into the country are all gun nuts with tiny genitalia" I laughed about it for an hour. He didn't have an argument so he started slingin names.

[Squat]

They should also know what the Bible says about obeying laws.

[Lurker]

If two or more people get together to do it, they can be hit with a conspiracy charge as well.

L

[Yo-Yo]

Tell the humanitarian aid workers to cross the boarder into Mexico and they can help all the migrants the desire.

[Yo-Yo]

I say again, we should just conquer Mexico and make it part of the US. Remove Fox, and kill the drug lords.

Great. As if East L.A. and Watts weren't bad enough, you want an entire new STATE? Sheesh.

[El Gato]

the racists who don't want immigration into the country are all gun nuts with tiny genitalia"

One out of three isn't doing very well, is it. But at least he got that one right. He really should think about the implications of that one as well.

[so_real]

Assisting an illegal entry into the United States is a crime.

Excellent point. I think 30 days per incident would be in order and might do some good.

[El Gato]

Great. As if East L.A. and Watts weren't bad enough, you want an entire new STATE? Sheesh.

What makes you think it would be only ONE? Mexico is in theory a federal republic, just like the US. Only with more crooked politicians, even though that's sort of hard to imagine sometimes.

[FlingWingFlyer]

I don't do drugs so I see this a little differently. These "camps" for the "distressed" are only there to ASSIST these illegal aliens sneaking into our country.

[dalereed]

"I think 30 days per incident would be in order"

Make it 30 years and i'll agree!

[Logical me]

This might not be exactly on the subject, but if we take all the damn red light cameras and install them on the 2000 miles of border and we would at least have a start on border control. If we can harass us at the red lights, why in the hell can't we harass those crossing the borders.

[DumpsterDiver]

Ping -- the Border Patrol is getting in the way of "humanitarian groups".

Humanitarian groups setting up emergency camps in the desert to try to save some of the illegal immigrants who die trying to cross the border said Thursday that Border Patrol surveillance will hinder their efforts.