Paisanos to the Rescue announces early flights over U.S. deserts

Agencia EFE ^ | June 7, 2006 | Staff

[Bangupjob]

El Paso, Texas, Jun 7 (EFE).- Several Mexican-American private pilots who two years ago began overflights of southwestern U.S. deserts in an effort to save would-be immigrants stranded in the sweltering wastelands have decided to start their patrols a month earlier than usual this year.

"Paisanos to the Rescue" director Armando Alarcon told EFE that this year the aerial patrols will begin in June because of the large number of immigrants who have been found dead of dehydration in the desert so far in 2006.

In prior years, the group began its flights in July.

Paisanos to the Rescue, which has been making the humanitarian effort since 2004, has at least a dozen private pilots who overfly sections of the desert again and again at least three times per week.

The organization has two aircraft from which its members drop bottles of water on small parachutes when they detect groups of undocumented immigrants below.

The water bottles contain instructions written in Spanish on how to get help in case of an emergency, as well as approximate distances to the closest cities and towns and the telephone numbers of foreign consulates.

The message tells the migrants to signal the plane circling above by lying down if they are having serious health problems or are disoriented.

"In that case, we call the authorities so they can help them," Alarcon said.

"It's better for (the illegal immigrants) to return home alive than in a box," he added.

He said that in no case does his group transport undocumented immigrants and that the pilots' work is done strictly within the bounds of legality.....

He added that the Border Patrol is familiar with the work that Paisanos to the Rescue is doing and has never blocked the flights.

[river rat]

Isn't that just precious?

Semper Fi

[kellynla]

ping

[Wally_Kalbacken]

What's to stop the formation of the alternate organization "Evil Paisanos - Minuteman Airwing V"?

[Bangupjob]

It's in the keywords

[garbageseeker]

Are they committing a criminal act by aiding and abetting a persons committing felony?

[garbageseeker]

I think that "Paisanos to the Rescue" and director Armando Alacron better about the Federal law. It may save them some jail time in a Federal Prison.

Federal Immigration and Nationality Act
Section 8 USC 1324(a)(1)(A)(iv)(b)(iii)

Section 274 States felonies under the Federal Immigration and Nationality act, INA247(A)(1)(A):

"A Person a federal felony when he/she:

*knowingly assists illegal aliens due to personal
convictions.

The penalty is 5 years in prison and a $10,000. They also would get also get their license to operate a plane yanked permanently.

If they want to continue their flights they are playing with fire.

[gubamyster]

ping

[Kokojmudd]

I think that "Paisanos to the Rescue" and director Armando Alacron better about the Federal law. It may save them some jail time in a Federal Prison.

Why would he care. These federal laws have about at much teeth as the FBI warning on a VHS tape.

[SwinneySwitch]

MM Air Force Ping!

[garbageseeker]

Call it information to him that he is violating Federal law and he can do jail time.

[wolfcreek]

I can't get too upset about these guys. The BP does the same thing only, they send their butts back after rescue. I work outdoors and think it would be horrible to die of thirst.