Officials prepare for visit by Minutemen [View All]

[Judi Lynn]

July 10, 2005, 12:42AM

Officials prepare for visit by Minutemen
Law enforcers discuss ways to keep peace when militia hunts for illegal immigrants
By MELANIE MARKLEY
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

Law enforcement officials in Houston began meeting Saturday to discuss strategies for keeping the peace when the Minutemen Civil Defense Corps sends observers to the city in October to patrol for illegal immigrants.

"The city of Houston is a very diverse city," said Houston Police Chief Harold Hurtt. "There is a great deal of harmony here, and we are not going to stand by and let some outside agency or organization come in and disrupt that harmony. We will do whatever is necessary to keep the peace in the city of Houston."

The Minutemen, a civilian organization initially set up to patrol the Mexican border, has announced plans to send observers to watch and videotape day laborers.

At the same time, immigration rights organizations have announced that they will form an organization to counteract the Minutemen.

U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, who organized Saturday's meeting of law enforcement officials, said she is concerned that the Minutemen's plans to expand their activities to a diverse city such as Houston could become confrontational.
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http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/3259740
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