"when a hand-full of minutemen get mowed down in a hail of bullets from some drug cartel,"
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You are definitely making a good point.
I was referring to the role, in which they want to use the National Guard: in support role, NOT active enforcement role -- whatever that means. In that role, they can hire people, whether contractors, or bring the Minutemen into official status as support to the border guard, paying them and outlining their responsibilities, etc.
It seems to me, after watching them on the news this weekend, that the Minutemen may be too emotionally invested in this. Perhaps there are enough retired, unemployed, rookie cops around that could be enlisted to help? Just a thought.