Posted on 11/09/2005 1:33:25 PM PST by SwinneySwitch
FALFURRIAS-
It's been a week since the Minutemen officially wrapped up a 30 day operation in South Texas. But don't think for a second they're gone from the Valley.
Action 4 News reporter Ray Pedraza uncovered the group plans to stay until they get what they want from the federal government.
In the past several weeks, Action 4 News spent a considerable amount of time with the Minutemen Coalition.
These volunteers come from all walks of life but share one common goal, to protect our border.
Since September 11th, they say our government just hasn't done enough.
One of those volunteers, David Summers, is a retired Dallas area superintendent and a cowboy at heart.
Cradling an acoustic guitar, Summers crooned an ol' cowboy tune prior to our interview.
He's been a fixture at Minutemen headquarters in Falfurrias, on a privately owned ranch, volunteering as a supervisor.
"I'm out here with the Minutemen as part of a Texas sized neighborhood watch," expressed Summers with a smile.
He says just as in your typical neighborhood watch, he's there to alert authorities when he sees something illegal or suspicious.
The 30 day "Secure Our Border" operation began on October 1st with volunteers from at least 30 different states.
At one of their training exercises, we witnessed Minutemen Texas chapter president Al Garza giving specific orders.
"You are not here to detain, you are not here to arrest. You are here chiefly to do three things: observe, spot and report," said Garza, a Valley native from Raymondville.
The group says they set up observation posts across ranches and along the river and radioed Border Patrol agents each time there were sightings of illegals.
On some occasions, pilots volunteered and provided aerial surveillance to find and report suspicious activity.
But while some ranchers were happy to see them some Brooks County residents weren't.
"They want to run them out," said Eddie Ogdee, from the parking lot of a local burger hangout. "They compare them to the K- Klux Klan, or what do you call it?"
While Ogdee thinks it's about racial profiling, Minutemen national president Chris Simcox is offended that someone would make this a race issue.
"Well, how can border security be a race issue?", asked Simcox. "Border Patrol last year apprehended people from 70 different countries. It's a national security, public safety issue. We don't care who you are, what color your skin is, what language you speak, what music you like, what food you eat. If you're coming across our border illegally, that's a threat to our national security and public safety."
Simcox says anyone who alleges that this is about race, probably condones the illegal activity.
Dr. Mike Vickers, the Falfurrias veterinarian who opened his ranch land to the Minutemen, says he lives at "ground zero" where illegals tear down fences and leave trails of trash.
To protect his livestock and property, Vickers even put up an electric fence.
He says the coyotes, or smugglers, are so ruthless in their quest for money, they rape, rob, murder and often leave women and small children behind to die.
Vickers estimates that coyotes get one to two thousand dollars for smuggling a Mexican national and for other than Mexicans, such as Chinese immigrants, the price can range from two to ten thousand dollars each.
"There's no question on my mind that the average person in the Valley, Corpus Christi, (and) San Antonio that are voicing opinions on this situation have no idea what's going on, they have no clue," asserted Vickers, standing next to a mended fence on his property.
He believes our next 9/11 may come from someone who crossed this ranch land. A few months ago, he claims to have found Middle Eastern money, Sudanese dinars.
Vickers also says Brooks County is going broke dealing with the crime and death here. This past summer alone, he claims the county performed 39 autopsies and investigated countless crimes.
The sheriff there, Balde Lozano, acknowledges the strain on resources but believes it's still the border patrol's job to deal with apprehending illegals.
Lozano says he's afraid a civilian may take the law into their own hands and pull a gun, as reported to him in one incident.
"One of the supposed Minutemen came out and pointed it at the illegal immigrant," said Lozano. "And that's being investigated by the federals."
So what is the solution to the illegal immigration problem? Is it more manpower or immigration reform?
In a recent visit to the Valley, Texas Governor Rick Perry told Action 4 News that the answer lies with Washington.
"You know, I understand why the Minutemen are there and why people are frustrated," said Perry. "But, the fact of the matter is that it is the federal government's responsibility to protect our border, not civilians and not the State's for that matter."
He says adding more border patrol agents is certainly part of the solution. But as for immigration reform, he says until Mexico develops a birth registry system with verifiable data, he is not in support of a guest worker program or anything similar.
"And I'm certainly not in favor of giving anyone from Mexico, or any other country for that matter, a driver's license that gives that individual all the rights that go with a driver's license in Texas until we know with assurity who these individuals are, from their home of record."
Until a solution is reached, Dr. Vickers believes instead of having our troops defend someone else's borders our troops should first defend our own.
"I think we need to put the military, the 1st Infantry Division on the river and let the Border Patrol go into these cities and enforce the law," said Vickers.
He believes tougher sanctions should also be imposed on people who employ illegals.
As for Summers, he feels the America we know is slowly slipping away because illegals are burdening our health care and education system.
And above all, he says the inhumane treatment of illegals by coyotes (smugglers) needs to be stopped.
He's been praying for a better day.
"For the blessings that he's provided me and I pray to my Maker for those who are still out here at night... going through the process of this movement. I pray for those that are out there," said Summers (referring to illegal immigrants risking their lives in the rough terrain).
And this cowboy believes more Americans should unite in support of the Minutemen.
The Minutemen say they are producing a documentary to send to Congress as a wake up call.
They've documented illegal crossings and they're including footage of some of immigrants they helped rescue.
For now, they are actively recruiting more members and have even started a Minutemen chapter here in McAllen for their next operation.
To visit the Minuteman website or become a member, click here www.minutemanhq.com.
Period.
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Protect our borders and coastlines from all foreign invaders!
Support our Minutemen Patriots!
Be Ever Vigilant ~ Bump!
Some of whom I voted for.
And they're doing it on an international stage. I think that may be what has driven them to act in the halls of Congress.
Please put me on your ping list.
"Mexican" isn't a race; - its a nationality. "Illegal" is still illegal. If my wife can wait in her home country for a US visa, so can any Mexican. Most of them seem to think they are better than us I suppose.
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