Posted on 09/08/2005 8:11:24 AM PDT by SwinneySwitch
Border Patrol deployment prompts premature launch for Civil Defense Corps
— The Minutemen are coming.
The Minuteman Civil Defense Corps of Texas will begin their operation here sooner than expected in response to a deployment of Border Patrol agents to aid in hurricane disaster areas.
Minuteman President Al Garza confirmed Wednesday that about 50 of the organization’s volunteers would come to Brownsville this month for early implementation of their operation: Secure Our Borders.
Minuteman officials do not publicize when they will arrive or where they will set up camp. Traditionally, they have limited their activities in Texas to private properties where landowners have requested help.
The volunteer border watch group, dedicated to stemming illegal immigration, will head to other sites in Rio Grande Valley, Texas and other border states.
Garza might be one of the 50 volunteers who come here, he said, despite the fact that he expects a negative reaction from the members of the Brown Berets, a California-born Hispanic civil rights group that has proclaimed it will combat the Minuteman movement.
Secure Our Borders was slated to begin Oct. 1, but was moved up a month and began Friday. Garza previously had said the group would not come to Brownsville, but the deployment of hundreds of Border Patrol agents to areas affected by Hurricane Katrina changed their plans.
“The government has come up with a reason for the Border Patrol to be placed in Louisiana, completely obliterating and demolishing all the efforts of the Border Patrol on the borders,” he said.
Border Patrol officials in Washington, D.C. confirmed Wednesday that 200 agents were deployed from across the country to aid in relief efforts. The total number of Customs and Border Protection personnel sent to the area is around 400, including Border Patrol agents, spokesman Barry Morrissey said. It is not known how many Valley agents joined the effort.
“The national Border Patrol strategy allows for disaster relief without compromising our traditional law enforcement mission at the border,” Morrissey said. “Our contingency plans work without having a negative impact on our traditional mission.”
Garza said the border is more short-handed than before, and the Minutemen are “picking up the slack.” Minutemen sent to this area will “observe, spot and report” illegal activity.
Illegal immigration and terrorism are the group’s chief concerns, he said.
The early launch has left the group in a financial crunch. According to a news release from the group, “Having to start our operation early means we’re having to start without having all of the funds in place that we planned for.”
Elizabeth García, an organizer with Social Justice and Peace Pastoral, a group organizing an anti-Minuteman white ribbon campaign in Brownsville, said her plans would not change with the Minutemen’s early arrival.
García has invited city leaders to take a stand against the Minutemen. An informal poll of City Commission members and the mayor showed that a resolution against Minuteman efforts in Brownsville would likely find support. El Paso has already adopted such a resolution.
García’s ribbon campaign continues to grow, with about 50 in Brownsville currently involved in the project, and organizers in McAllen might soon join, she said.
The Minutemen “stand for violence,” Garcia said and she will stand side by side with them on the border to monitor their activities.
“We don’t want them here, we don’t need them here,” she said, “and if they have a little bit of pride, maybe they should go back home.”
sicalderon@brownsvilleherald.com
I got a 'phone call last night from a woman who didn't sound like she really knew what she was doing or supposed to be doing. She claimed to represent the Minutemen and got hung up on explaining to me what they were and her fund-raising pitch. Very poor presentation but, at least, it had some amateurish integrity as opposd to those slick, glib fast talkers who usually call.
I have to agree with this assessment because their traditional law enforcement mission at the border is already so compromised that they might as well not be there at all. There preventative effectiveness is zero and their deterrent effectiveness is almost equally lacking. Any illegal immigrant with the slightest degree of initiative can successfully cross our borders illegally. It might take three or four tries but they will get across eventually. It really does not matter if a few hundred Border Patrol agents get redeployed away from the border because even if they were there every illegal immigrant who tried to cross would eventually successfully cross. The effort at our borders is already so pathetic that it is hard to imagine that it could be any worse even if we had no Border Patrol.
The Brown Berets---vanguard of the growing Latin American Indian "pride" (=anti-white) movement. The radical leftists love these kinds of militant ethnic groups.
ping
Yesterday the HPD did a round up of illegals on Shepard. Ofcourse the lamerazzzza started yelling. RESIDENTS ARE HAPPY.
"What part of illegal don't these people understand?"
That would be the il part, steel.
Protect our borders and coastlines from all foreign invaders!
Support our Minutemen Patriots!
Be Ever Vigilant ~ Bump!
Good for the Minute Men! They haven't hurt anyone, and they've helped the BOrder Patrol immensely. Wish I could go out there with them. SOMEONE has to really protect the border. If we can't put some military units, F-16s, AH-64 Longbows, E-3C Sentry's, etc, patroling the border instead of running exercises in the mid west, then someone has to do it.
Thanks for the ping. Good news! Maybe Lunatic Liz (Garcia) and her minions standing with them (to monitor them) will give the minutemen the appearance of greater numbers. Hooray Minutemen!
Texas Minutemen Ping!
Please FReepmail me if you want on or off this South Texas/Mexico ping list.
The ones I saw in Tomball looked like they were in their 70s; part of the greatest generation. I just hope the young agitators watch after them and aren't really salivating for one of these elderly gentlemen to be beaten to death by someone they confront.
Considering the amount of frenzied hatred some anti-illegals have created, I wouldn't be surprised at all if their objective is to get some elderly people seriously injured just for publicity reasons.
Should FReepers take this to mean that you are admitting to being pro-illegal immigration? And what "frenzied hatred" are you referring to?
By the way, many Minutemen members are in their 30's, 40's, and 50's, hardly elderly people. But for someone such as yourself who has little regard for Americans or our country's laws, I'm not surprised that you find enjoyment in criticizing those who want our country's immigration laws enforced.
I pinged you to get your opinion on this observation, pro-illegal.
"What part of illegal don't these people understand?"
That would be the il part, steel.
That's exactly what the majority of Americans are saying about illegal aliens, m'am.
The Minutemen might want to make a head count of those MEXICAN TROOPS in San Antonio. You know, just to see if the incoming matches the outgoing number.
"The ones I saw in Tomball looked like they were in their 70s; part of the greatest generation. I just hope the young agitators watch after them and aren't really salivating for one of these elderly gentlemen to be beaten to death by someone they confront"
Bring on your illegal loving scum, i'm only 68 and i'll kick the shit out of any 30 year old.
That's probably the attitude the Minutemen organizers are hoping for. Their stated goal is publicity and nothing would get them more publicity than to have violence resulting in deaths.
You should warn the others around you that you may start violence so those that have wives to care for can distance themselves from you.
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