Border Patrol Says Volunteers Are Tripping Sensors Used to Detect Illegals

[NNN0LHI]

Border Patrol Complains That Volunteers Are Tripping Sensors Used to Detect Illegal Crossers

TOMBSTONE, Ariz. (AP) - Volunteers who have converged on the Mexican border to watch for illegal immigrants are disrupting U.S. Border Patrol operations by unwittingly tripping sensors that alert agents to possible intruders, an agency spokesman complained Monday.

Scores of participants in the Minuteman Project began assembling late last week and planned to begin regular patrols on Monday, in an exercise some law enforcement authorities and civil rights groups fear will result in vigilante violence. Many of the volunteers were recruited over the Internet, and some planned to be armed.

Over the past few days, they have set off sensors, forcing agents to respond to false alarms, said Supervisory Border Patrol Agent Jose Maheda.

"Every sensor has to be addressed," Maheda said. "It's taken away from our normal operations."

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBY05C257E.html

[tubbacheez]

1. "Fools rush in..." comes to mind. n/t

[TlalocW]

2. Which starred

Salma Hayek, a Mexican actress who immigrated to the United States!

Devious!

TlalocW

[tubbacheez]

6. good one!

i hadn't made the connection!


:yourock:

[TlalocW]

7. There's only one thing to do!

Go storm Hollywood, grab her, then take her down to the border and throw her in the Rio Grande. Then grab me and throw me on top of her.

Thank you and God bless America.

TlalocW

[tubbacheez]

11. Uh, maybe let her be on top.

Since this is your idea, the responsibility of avoiding two drowning deaths should rest upon your shoulders.






Plus, those of us videotaping would prefer she be more visible.

No offense, but she's a celeb and all... ya know?



:)

[Redstone]

23. That's just too damn funny for me to read in the middle of the day

when I have work to do.

Thanks!

Redstone

[glitch]

3. What we all need - empowered moron-americans.

Thanks again *.

[Roland99]

4. It's only fun until someone loses an eye.

[Mnemosyne]

5. Personally, I feel they (the militia) are just plain tripping.

My brother-in-law is border patrol and he's a total dick. He gets excited thinking about having a chance to take out one of the illegals. He adores Hannity and Colmes. I'd feel safer with tripping vigilantes guarding the borders!



Mad World.

on edit>

I don't endorse any of this crap. I was simply pointing out that my b-in-l is an idiot is an ass and I don't believe that anyone else could be any worse. Geeze...

My great-great-great uncle was John Brown. He did what he felt needed doen. And the women in my family helped in the Underground Railroad.

I have no problem with anyone that needs to come here to live and they shouldn't be attacked in the desert.

[EtJ]

8. What are they afraid of

I have to wonder if the modern day minutemen are the begining of something much bigger. I encourage all to research this group and see what their hidden(could be very good) agenda may be. Do note the name as well. A local vet gave me some clues on how well organized this group is. http://www.minutemanproject.com/
The fact that bush calls this group vigilantes, makes me wonder what bush is trying to hide.
" The Minuteman project Commences today April 1, 2005, Bush has the nerve to call these "PATRIOT's, Vigilanti's. The truth is alot of these Patriots are Vietnam Vets and Gulf War 1 Vets and are the true Patriots in America. Bush support's Illegal Immigration , as well as most of the US Government both Democrat's and Republican's alike, which is a violation of their oath of office and the US Constitution."
Excellent link: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/issues/alert/?alertid=7336116&content_dir=ua_congressorg
Is bush afraid of his true incompetency and the government's hidden agenda coming out ??
Is the border patrol afraid of their corruption and incompetency coming to light ?
What is wrong with a well organized bunch of patriots standing up for our Constitution ?? Especially a bunch of vets and law enforcement ?
Please look further into what the modern Minutemen are saying !!

[Bridget Burke]

12. Yes, I'm impressed by their organization....

They are currently giving the impression of a bunch of drunken, clueless fools. With guns.

Since you love them so much, why don't you summarize some of their "hidden" agenda.

Guys their age are serving in Iraq & Afghanistan. Why don't they re-up?

[EtJ]

14. Drunken, clueless fools or true Patriots

Bridget, have you followed any of the links that I provided, or just have a stance of they are drunken, clueless fools ?? Any sources for your thoughts ?? A little more on my end: "Simcox said he stands for the same thing that Mark Twain said, "In the beginning of change, the patriot is a brave and scarce man, hated and scorned. When the cause suceeds, however, the timid join him…for then it costs nothing to be a patriot."

If Gilchrist and Simcox were worried about volunteers, they need not be. Retired colonels, majors, captains and sergeants are signing up by the day. Ordinary citizens offer their presence in this project. If the Mexican government thinks it can sidestep our well-trained military veterans from the Army, Marines, Navy and Air Force—they’ve got another thought coming."
LINK: http://www.minutemanproject.com/Frosty%20Wooldridge.html
A touch more: "There are rare times in American history when citizens must take action to do the jobs that elected leaders won’t do. The Minute Man Project promises to be the next Boston Tea Party beginning on April 1, 2005.

What happened December 17, 1773? It was a date that few legal immigrants or illegal aliens know about or understand. How did that notorious moment occur in American history? Who caused it? What was the result?

The Boston Tea Party blasted into the news and across the Atlantic Ocean and into the halls of British Parliament because a bunch of American rednecks and "proud of it" patriots were sick and tired of the British Tea tax. They stormed the gangplanks on three ships in Boston harbor while tossing bags of tea overboard. As they say, "Conviction without action is worthless.""
I agree there are two sides of the coin. My hats go off to this group for they are doing something, not just sitting at a keypad, having an opinion, but little else. At least they are a group of action. Something America needs at this time. Bridget all I can ask is for you to look at the other side of the coin, there is more there, than meets the eye, and the ear.

[The_Casual_Observer]

17. What kind of idiot would actually go down there and get in the way

like that? It truly isn't any of their business, and they could get hurt or hurt somebody. They all ought to be arrested for trespassing.

[DoNotRefill]

57. The only problem with arresting them for trespass....

is that they secured the permission of the property owners beforehand to be on their land.

Don't let nasty little facts get in the way of your wunnerful pet theory... ;)

[EtJ]

60. Don't confuse them with facts

DoNotRefill,
Thanks for the facts, they can be tough to sweep away. I was kinda leaving this issue of the minutemen alone, till a Vet told me of the level of ofganization that this group has used. They are there to help America. To make the problem(s) obvious to the American public. You can not solve a problem(s), till it is recognized. Sadly, they will find more problems, than they expected, one being the sheeple of America.

[DoNotRefill]

61. I'd think....

that we as Democrats would want to do everything in our power to facilitate splits between Bush and parts of the RW.

These people are complaining that Bush betrayed them. Bush is calling them Vigilantes. While these people are out, the ACLU observers and the media are keeping a very close eye on them, so the much ballyhooed (by some here) shooting of illegals is NOT going to happen. So where exactly is the downside for us?

[Toots]

83. They should be marching on Washington instead of taking the Law into their

own hands. since when did taking the law into your own hands become the American way. The Right wing is so proud of the fact that we are a Republic not a Democracy. Do they even know what that means? It means they have elected someone to do these type of things for them. They have a Representative in government. That is the American Way not vigilantism. Unless these so-called minutemen are officially deputized by a governmental authority they are acting against the law and not for the law. If they want tyo bring this issue to the Public's mind they need to organize a march on congress and let their Representatives tell them how the issue is being addressed. They may just discover that it isn't being addressed because it is far more important to give out the US Trteasury to the wealthiest people in america instead of all the American people. The purpose of government is to protect the health and welfare of the country. Protecting our border is one way of doing that. It is more important to give money to the wealthy so some of it will get kicked back into the Republican coffers than to actually Protect America. America is not a free for all.

[DoNotRefill]

89. Since when is calling the cops "taking the law into your own hands"

Why aren't you condemning Neighborhood Watch programs too???

[Beetwasher]

19. What An Unmitigated Load of Bullshit

Yeah, dress up your hatred and thirst for violence with terms like "patriot" when in reality it all boils down to "Man, I can't wait to shoot me a wetback!"

Who the fuck do you think you're kidding?

[Name removed]

33. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Beetwasher]

37. LOL! Issues? Ok, Einstein

So, who are the oppressors that these minutemen are fighting? Poor , starving mexican dirt farmers? How brave of them. :eyes:

I'd ask who's thinking for you, but it's already obvious you're NOT thinking, you're merely regurgitating.

[Redstone]

20. Oh, Christ, you're comparing these buffoons to the REAL Minutemen?

Somehow, I don't think that'll sell around here.

It would be funny if it weren't so pathetic.

Redstone

[Bridget Burke]

22. I've seen the other side of the coin.

We've got plenty of racist pseudo-patriots in Texas.

And these guys are letting more undocumented workers IN because they're too clueless to avoid setting off the alarms.

[donco6]

68. You're not really comparing them to the BTP?

Are you?

[Toots]

82. Pretty far fetched if you ask me to compare a bunch of military wannabees

with the Boston Tea Party. Are you saying these guys are standing in open opposition to the US government? Are they trying to revolt against the government? They are nothing more than armed vigillantes who are in defiance of Law. If they want to have a modern day Boston Tea Party they need to storm every election office in the USA and throw every single voting machine in the Bay. Right now they are just acting like Bigots with guns, and I predict there will be a murder..

[barb162]

91. welocme to DU; nice post

The Bush administration clearly is not doing its job on the borders

(The Bush Dept. of Homeland Non-Security)

[primavera]

93. "An opinion and little else"

What an apt description, those were my thoughts on the Minutemen as well! They plainly do have opinions - ill informed and grossly oversimplified ones - but opinions I must concede they have. But you know what they say about opinions being like assholes: everyone's got one and they're all full of shit. It would be nice if for once Americans based their actions upon facts and an indepth analysis as opposed to their usual knee-jerk reactionism, but I don't seriously expect that to happen anytime soon, since they pretty much never have stopped to reflect before doing something stupid.

[jdj]

120. so long we hardly knew ye.

we knew the rhetoric backwards and forwards, but this borg unit, not so good.

[Tansy_Gold]

28. Yeah, I'm impressed, too. Not.

Seriously, they were interviewed by one of the Phoenix tv stations this past week-end. They don't deny being racists. "If some people think I'm a racist, well, I can't help that." They look like the very epitome of the white, racist, under-educated "redneck."

Oh, and the one that got interviewed looked so over-weight and out of shape that I figure a pregnant woman with a toddler on her hip could outrun him. Problem is, she couldn't outrun his gun. :-(

The fact that they're undermining the legitimate efforts of the border patrol shows how clueless they are.

I don't think we have to worry about them (pa)trolling Bell Road in search of day laborers -- too many of the vigilantes and their RW supporters employ these undocumented workers to clean the pool, trim the palm trees, cut the grass, etc.

[Beetwasher]

13. Err, They Are The VERY Definition of Vigilante

WTF are you talking about? The word exists to describe these fucking clowns. That and ignorant jackass.

[EtJ]

18. Thank God for our Vigilante Founding Fathers

Beetwasher,
With out the Viligante action of our Founding fathers, we would not be having this discussion. Viligante seems to be another way to lazily sweep discomfort under the carpet. Kinda like chanting conspiracy when one's comfort zone is intruded.
My guess is that you did not follow any of the links provided, their site is well done.

[Beetwasher]

21. Err, So These Minutemen Are Being Oppressed and Unfairly Taxed

by illegal immigrants?

What an unmitigated load of bullshit comparing these bloodthirsty loons w/ the Americas founding fathers who fought against tyranny.

Are you being oppressed by some poor mexican dirt farmer? How? Good grief, that could be some of the stupidest shit I ever heard.

"Hey Jethro, I can't wait to shoot me my first wetback! Now pass me another Pabst!" :eyes:

[Name removed]

26. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Demeter]

52. The Founding Fathers Were NOT Vigilantes!

Has the whole world gone mad? The Minutemen were responding to a hostile and violent occupation by foreign mercenaries and oppression by an absolute dictator who was several bubbles short of plumb. Not to mention the greed of capitalists in the Mother country. Rather more like the Iraqis today, than the vigilantes that went out and lynched our fellow citizens lo these 200+ years.

Somebody get a history book (and a clue).

[Redstone]

58. "Several bubbles short of plumb?" I never heard that one before,

and I like it!

Redstone

[DoNotRefill]

59. Yup, you sure do see them dispensing "summary justice"...

just like those bastards in the Neighborhood Watch who call the cops when they see a crime....all those fuckers are vigilantes too, right?

[Beetwasher]

74. They Don't Carry Guns

in a neighborhood watch, at least not in my part of the woods, and for good reason.

Summary justice? Just give them some time, they just getting started. I guess you never heard of mob rules. This is a mob, with guns, looking for action. What do you think they're going to do? Be models of restraint? You have more faith in human nature than I do, or you're insanely naive.

[DoNotRefill]

90. Nah....

they've got plenty of restraints on them. They've got ACLU observers and the media there filming them. And around here, neighborhood watch people who can legally carry a gun often do.....not so that they can pull them on people, but simply for self-defense. Why do they need guns for self-defense? Because the crack dealers get pissy about being driven out of an area and have been known to try to kill them.

These people are acting within their legal rights. They are violating no law. And they are giving Bush a black eye. Yeah, they're predominantly RWers, but if more RWers hated Bush like these people obviously do, Bush would be a lot weaker...

[Beetwasher]

102. LOL!

Ok, the ACLU will keep them in line! LOL! That's funny. The watchers watching the watchers??? Ummm, unless the ACLU is out there in the field, they aren't going to be able to do shit. Sorry, but you really are being silly.

They may be acting within their legal rights, but so what? That doesn't mean this ain't stupid and a disaster waiting to happen.

It also legal to flip off a cop if you want to, but it ain't smart. It's also perfectly legal to shove a red hot poker up your ass. Lot's of things are legal and yet monumentally stupid recipes for disaster. This is one of them.

I hope all these guys do is sit in their deck chairs and call INS and thumb their noses at Bush. Somehow I doubt it though and I for one won't support this gang of racist thugs. Yes, they ARE racist thugs.

"At the current rate of invasion the United States will be completely over run with ILLEGAL aliens by the year 2025...only 21 years away. ILLEGAL aliens and their offspring will be the dominant population in the U.S. and will have made such inroads into the political and social systems that they will have more influence than the U.S. Constitution over how the U.S. is governed. That ugly consequence is already taking place. The United States of America is under invasion." --- James Gilchrist - Founder Of The MinuteMan Project

Can you feel the love? :eyes:

[DoNotRefill]

103. the ACLU IS out there in the field...

so are the reporters.



BTW, you DO know that lots of illegals are not people of color, right? And that the Mexican border is a favorite entry zone for illegals from as diverse locations as China and Eastern Europe, right?

[Beetwasher]

105. Ummm, So What?

How long will the reporters be on this story? So, everyone of these thugs will have someone tailing them at all times from the ACLU? I don't think so. The hoo ha will die down and these guys will be running around doing their thing relatively unsupervised. Time will tell how much of a disaster this is.

What does the fact that there are Chinese and Europeans entering illegally too have to do w/ anything? As if the vast amount aren't Mexicans or something? Give me a fucking break. Is that supposed to mean that somehow this means they are not racist thugs? Puhleeze.

[DoNotRefill]

108. Well, considering....

that we've had people here predict that they'd start machine-gunning every illegal and burying them in shallow graves from day 1, and there have been no killings yet, that we'll have to "wait and see". I don't think that the ACLU observers are planning on leaving any time soon, and I don't think the people out there are going to be happy when the press leaves. After all, this IS a publicity stunt to draw attention to the problem, yes?

You say that they're racist thugs. OK. So where are the news reports of them spotting Eastern European illegals and NOT reporting them to the BP? After all, most Eastern Europeans qualify as white, don't they? So show me that they're making some differentiation between white illegals and brown illegals, please.

[Beetwasher]

110. What????

"You say that they're racist thugs. OK. So where are the news reports of them spotting Eastern European illegals and NOT reporting them to the BP? After all, most Eastern Europeans qualify as white, don't they? So show me that they're making some differentiation between white illegals and brown illegals, please."

That's just plain idiotic. Yes, I'm sure there would be news reports of that. :eyes: How stupid. Why don't YOU provide evidence that they HAVE reported some non-mexican/white illegals?

The quotes on their website are enough to tell me that they're racist thugs, and also the pics where they sport Confederate flags are enough for me. That's MY evidence.

Gee, no killing yet! Woo hoo! Why then, that must mean that this is NOT a stupid idea! :eyes:

What makes YOU think this is merely a publicity stunt? :shrug: Doesn't seem that way to me, or to them either. I assume you read their website?

You are kidding no one with your claim of the ACLU babysitting these guys forever. Where the hell did you get that from? I haven't seen it in anything I read. People won't be happy when the press leave? WTF is that supposed to mean? That they won't leave? Get real.

[DoNotRefill]

114. ok

"Why don't YOU provide evidence that they HAVE reported some non-mexican/white illegals?"

Have you seen ANYTHING reported with a breakdown of the people reported? I haven't. Not even by nationality...for example X Mexican nationals, y El-Salvadoreans, et cetera.

What makes me think it's a publicity stunt? EVERYTHING. What they say, what they've done, the way that they've handled it from the get-go says "publicity whores!" perfectly clearly. Yes, I've read their entire website as of one week ago. They make no bones about it that the purpose isn't long-term interdiction, but rather a short-term publicity thing.

The ACLU isn't going to babysit these guys forever, because they're not out there forever. This is a finite thing for the Minutemen, and the ACLU notice I received for this said that they were going to be there the entire time.

[Beetwasher]

116. I Call Bullshit!

Publicity stunt my ass! I saw nothing on their website that indicated that this was some short term publicity stunt, so I suspect you're just making shit up. Yeah, they want publicity, but that doesn't mean that this is just a short term publicity stunt. That's a load of crap.

I also call bullshit on your ACLU claim. I happen to be a donor to the ACLU and I got no such notice.

[DoNotRefill]

117. Are you a lawyer?

If you're not, that would explain why you didn't get asked to be a legal observer...

They say on their website that it's a 30 day project. It's one month only, on a very limited section of the border, and then they're gone. They HAVE said that the purpose is to show just how pourous the border is.

This entire thing is a media exercise from start to finish.

[Beetwasher]

118. Uh Huh

The website makes reference to the April Mission, that doesn't necessarily mean that the whole thing is going to close up shop in 30 days and go away.

I hope it does, time will tell. Just because they are interested in getting publicity (which of course they are!) doesn't mean it's not stupid and dangerous as hell or that it's temporary.

[barb162]

69. they aren't vigilantes. They WATCH for illegals and phone in to

border patrol when they see illegals crossing into the US. They are not grabbing the illegals, tying them up, beating them up, they are not acting as law enforcement types (like cops),etc.

[Beetwasher]

75. Oh, Really?

Because that's what they tell you on their website?? Yeah, the guns are just fashion accessories...:eyes:

[barb162]

86. most are sitting around in lawn chairs with binoculars... what

I saw on several TV stations. I did see a really good poster that said "Behind every Bush there is a Fox"

:eyes:

[Beetwasher]

92. I Seen it On TV So It MUST BE TRUE!!!

:eyes:

MOST are doing this? Really? :shrug: I hope this is all they're doing, somehow, I doubt it. Human nature suggests otherwise. Why the guns then?

[barb162]

94. American citizens observing illegal activity and reporting it to the

authorities really bothers you, huh? Do neighborhood watch programs bother you too?


:eyes:

If you don't mind, please don't bring up human nature as I think that is way over your head.

[Beetwasher]

96. LOL! Uh Huh

Yeah, neighborhood watch groups run around w/ guns? Since when?

You are either insanely naive or worse if you think all these guys want to do is sit around in deck chairs and watch illegals through binoculars. Why the guns then?

"But that's what they done gone and showed me on TV!!!" :eyes:

Human nature, indeed. Why use your brain when it's so much easier believing the TV.

[barb162]

97. It is not illegal for American citizens to report illegals entering

this country. If you have a problem with it, you need a head check fast.

[Beetwasher]

98. It's Stupid and These Guys are Bloodthirsty, Racist Morons

Spoiling for a fight. It's a recipe for disaster. If you're ok w/ that, then you're deranged, or worse.

Why don't you join them? Maybe you'll get to beat up on some poor Mexican dirt farmers too. Probably right up your alley, huh?

Shoving a red hot poker up your ass isn't illegal either, why don't you go ahead and do it?

[barb162]

99. the constitutional rights of American citizens to freely assemble

and bear arms...remember that? You seem to be AGAINST that and FOR illegal entry to this country. Something is very screwed up when you have problems with legal activities but not illegal activities. And as long as you mentioned my media bias in previous posts, I wonder if you watch TV or read crap spewed by groups advocating illegal activity against this country and "...then you're deranged, or worse." It sure seems you have been taken in by the Bushies and their drive to further lower the wages of American workers.

[Beetwasher]

100. Yup, That's Me, Bushbot Extraordinaire

First of all, there's no right to assemble AND bear arms. There's a right to assemble. There's a right to form militias and keep and bear arms. Read the constitution for fucks sake.

I have no problem with legal activities. I have problems with bloodthirsty nutjobs who want whack poor Mexicans because they have nothing better to do. I think it's stupid and it's a disaster waiting to happen. You of course are entitled to defend these racist pigs all you want and the fact that you do, speaks volumes.

So, when are you shoving a red hot poker up your ass? It's perfectly legal.

"At the current rate of invasion the United States will be completely over run with ILLEGAL aliens by the year 2025...only 21 years away. ILLEGAL aliens and their offspring will be the dominant population in the U.S. and will have made such inroads into the political and social systems that they will have more influence than the U.S. Constitution over how the U.S. is governed. That ugly consequence is already taking place. The United States of America is under invasion." --- James Gilchrist - Founder Of The MinuteMan Project

Ahhh, can't you just feel the love? :eyes:

[Name removed]

111. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Beetwasher]

112. I Assume You Know What A Confederate Flag Is

and what it stands for? :eyes: Or did you miss that part of your special ed class, Einstein?

Care to point out which one of these douchebags is you? Are YOU holding that flag?:

[peacebird]

36. in their own words...

"Accordingly, the men and women volunteering for this mission are those who are willing to sacrifice their time, and the comforts of a cozy home, to muster for something much more important than acquiring more "toys" to play with while their nation is devoured and plundered by the menace of tens of millions of invading illegal aliens.
Future generations will inherit a tangle of rancorous, unassimilated, squabbling cultures with no common bond to hold them together, and a certain guarantee of the death of this nation as a harmonious "melting pot."

The result: political, economic and social mayhem. "


Death of the melting pot - cute. Problem - it was not so gloriously "harmonious" when the first settlers were trying to meld into a nation (never mind the slaughter of the original Americans) - the Europeans couldn't even get along. The Germans hung with the Germans, the Irish with the Irish, the Italians with Italians. The English and French hated each other. THe Spanish too. And these were all folks with generally similar lifestyles.

So how precisely are more immigrants going to destroy this country? OUR DIVERSITY AND TOLERACE OF DIVERSITY ARE WHAT MADE AMERICA GREAT.

Pity that we are no longer tolerant of diversity.

[Zorra]

64. "America is Full"

I agree with this. We have too many people in our country as it is, and we should halt all immigration immediately. Not just from Mexico. From everywhere.

And though some of these folks are undoubtedly ignorant Buh supporting republican rednecks that would love to test out their new sniper rifle on a 10 yr. old Mexican girl, I believe many of them are concerned Americans that have a valid point and are taking action in order to have their concerns addressed.

Buh is NOT protecting our borders now, and he never has protected our borders.

[Beetwasher]

76. If Only ONE Of Them

Is a lunatic that wants to test out their new rifle then that's good enough for me to tell me that these fuckers are dangerous and what they are doing is dangerous.

[Beetwasher]

9. It's Only A Matter Of Time Before They Start Shooting Eachother

And I will laugh like hell when they do. "Oops! Sorry! Though you were one-a-them wetbacks!"

[prodigal_green]

10. ROTFLMAO

no really, I had to close my office door I am laughing so loudly.

[AlCzervik]

15. So because of them more immigrants will be hoping the fence

and not caught, so in effect they are aiding and abetting the illegals, how ironic is that? Go back to tombstone morans.

[EtJ]

54. At least they have to travel further

Article: Minutemen Cut Illegal Alien Traffic
LINK: http://americanpatrol.com/

"Los Angeles Times -- April 4
"This vast desert border just west of Douglas, Ariz., is the busiest illegal crossing point in the nation. Enriquez said more than 400 people a day walk these harsh trails. But news of the Minutemen's arrival, combined with media hype in Mexico, has cut the traffic to a few dozen a day.
"Some smugglers have refused to take clients to the border area until the activists leave. Others are directing them elsewhere, as far east as El Paso, Texas. An air of fear and indignation hangs over this side of the border, where misinformation is rife.""

[AlCzervik]

55. Maybe the minuteman should go and protest in front of Wal-Mart

and homebuilders and corporate farms since they are the biggest consumer of illegal aliens, but then again i'm sure these minute have on clothes they bought from Wal-mart so that probably won't happen.

[XemaSab]

16. Now Honestly

Isn't the recruitment of vigilantes a blatant admission that the border patrol is woefully understaffed and underfunded???

Seriously, you'd think the the freeptards volunteering for duty would make the connection that they're there to do the job the US government is too cheap to do.

[EtJ]

24. WHY are they understaffed, and underfunded ??

XemaSab,
Could true terrorists come across the border as well ?? Talking to people from the area, the border patrol is quite corrupt as well. The mintutemen, have more than an opinion, they are willing to get involved. They are trying to bring awareness to the problem. What is wrong with that ???

[Bridget Burke]

27. Because your president is too cheap to fund the Border Patrol.

They're now part of Homeland Security. And we know just how much the idiot cares about protecting the country.

So far, all they've done is make things worse.

[AlCzervik]

31. The minuteman should foot the bill for the time the border agents had to

waste on them.

[supernova]

32. A lovely idea

Kinda like paying for false alarms for the fire department everytime they have to get the damn cat out of the tree.

[AlCzervik]

34. exactly. these people are wannbe cop or cowboys, i can figure out which.

I don't recall hearing these same people bitching about immigrants now complaining about them in the 90's when the economy was good. Economy takes a down turn....blame the immmigrants first crowd.

[XemaSab]

39. Everyone in the southwest

if not everyone in the US, is aware of the problem.

Getting volunteers devalues the work of the border patrol, and also makes the work of the border patrol into amateur hour, instead of the professional, paid job that it should be, with a corresponding level of integrity and professionalism.

[donco6]

70. The terrorists don't need to sneak over the border.

Last time they just flew in like regular folk.

Give it up - I hear the freeptards are wondering why traffic is so low tonight.

[Demeter]

53. No, It's an Admission That the GOP Has Given Aid and Comfort to

Brownshirts, and that Kristalnacht is only months away.

[Trillo]

119. Not necessarily too cheap,

perhaps their priorities are skewed. Maybe Border Patrol is more concerned with harassing U.S. citizens at checkpoints well inside the U.S. for anti-drug purposes, than with stopping illegal immigration.

I have to drive through one of these silly checkpoints regularly (about 100 miles from Tijuana) and it's clear to me they could care less about 'illegals'. But they like to look in cars' trunks without a warrant.

[UTUSN]

25. Bwahhhhahh! These Doofi Are Probably Dropping These Around

[slackmaster]

29. Three Stooges vs. Keystone Kops

Hilarity ensues.

[supernova]

30. Ha Ha. Couldn't happen to a lovelier bunch

:rofl:

I hope they shoot themselves in the foot, literally. :rolf: Morans.

[Bombero1956]

38. Border Patrol

should do what our department does with repeat false alarmers.We impose a fine after the third false alarm and raise the amount for each subsequent false response. Homeland Security should fine them the cost of each Border Patrol agent and vehicle that responds to a tripped alarm.

[NNN0LHI]

35. Shouldn't these jack offs be charged with interfering with police work?

Wonder what the law would do to some liberal group who was out setting off these sensors?

Don

[DoNotRefill]

104. Well...

considering that they're legally entitled to be where they are, I don't see that setting off sensors is a criminal act...

[Judi Lynn]

40. Border Patrol complains that volunteers are tripping sensors used to detec

Border Patrol complains that volunteers are tripping sensors used to detect illegal crossers


By Arthur H. Rotstein
ASSOCIATED PRESS
12:15 p.m. April 4, 2005

TOMBSTONE, Ariz. – Volunteers who have converged on the Mexican border to watch for illegal immigrants are disrupting U.S. Border Patrol operations by unwittingly tripping sensors that alert agents to possible intruders, an agency spokesman complained Monday.

Scores of participants in the Minuteman Project began assembling late last week and planned to begin regular patrols on Monday, in an exercise some law enforcement authorities and civil rights groups fear will result in vigilante violence. Many of the volunteers were recruited over the Internet, and some planned to be armed.

Over the past few days, they have set off sensors, forcing agents to respond to false alarms, said Supervisory Border Patrol Agent Jose Maheda.

"Every sensor has to be addressed," Maheda said. "It's taken away from our normal operations."
(snip/...)

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nation/20050404-1215-bordervolunteers.html

[illflem]

41. Sounds like a lame excuse

why do they need the sensors if there are people there doing the same job? They just need to learn to turn off the sensors when observers are there.

[Occulus]

42. Wow

So I guess I can tell my landlord to go ahead and disable the building's fire alarms since, of course, there are people in the building all day long.

Who needs alarms when you have observers on scene all the time? /sarcasm

[ProudToBeLiberal]

48. ouch good one nt.

[havocmom]

45. cuz it's a long friggin border

and the budget called for 9000+ LESS Border Patrol Agents. Unless they are standing within view of each other all along the border 24/7, seems like some other method is needed.

The vigilantes should not be a reason to turn the system off and on. They are not really part of the effort to stem the flow of illegals.

I am wondering if they are planning to 'patrol' that part of the desert used as a bombing range?

[Cocoa]

43. "unwittingly" is a good word

probably an understatement when it comes to the Minuteman morans.

[TahitiNut]

46. "witlessly" would be a better word

:shrug:

[illflem]

44. The Border Patrol is just pissed because the observers

are going to see that the Patrol is doing a shitty job.

[barb162]

67. I was watching some footage today of the Minutemen. I think the

border patrol likes having them there. The border patrol is totally underfunded, undermanned, etc.

[Judi Lynn]

47. Sorry, I've duped.

Someone got this story before I did. I just didn't see it.

His thread here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1367343

Thanks.

[AuntiBush]

49. This is sad! And I Commend those Citizens!

All the $$$... where is it? It's not protecting our opened borders down there. So, average citizens have to place their lives on the lines to do what $$$$ was suppose to.

Where's the $$$$$$ for this while we're all ready to starve and loose everything we own????

:banghead:

[MisterP]

62. why commend the Minutemen? they're making the job HARDER

[Name removed]

65. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[barb162]

73. nice post; welcome to DU

[Le Taz Hot]

80. Outstanding post

This type of rational post is what DU USED to be. Agree or disagree, it's a well thought-out post.

[primavera]

95. Wow, that's just wrong on so many levels

The "neutered" border patrol to which you refer is a force of 40,000 people. They receive the lion's share of funding for DHS and the laws which have passed through Congress in recent years have given the Secretary of Homeland Security and his designated agents the authority to suspend ANY law deemed incompatable with the preservation of border integrity. So calling them "neutered" is kind of like saying the gestapo were neutered. Short of creating a full blown military police state, I fail to see how you could empower these guys more.

The Constitution of our country refers to all persons within the United States; it does not say all white male protestant citizens within the US. For a right to have meaning, you don't get to just apply it selectively to yourself and then claim that it has no relevance to anyone else.

Has it ever dawned on you that the former INS and its successor agencies are the largest federal agencies in existence? And all of these people just sit around with their thumbs up their butts I guess, huh? You people make it sound like all that it takes to "secure the borders" as you put it is simply decide to do it. Oh phew, what a relief! Here all of these tens of thousands of professionals have been wasting their time when all we had to do was to simply decide to secure the borders! Has it occurred to you that maybe it isn't that simple? Has it crossed you mind that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction? You want to shut down borders? Fine. How? You want hundreds of thousands (since the tens of thousands we have plainly aren't enough for you) of guys with guns shooting at anything that moves? We could do that, sure. There will be a lot of innocent people who get killed that way, but hey, you're not one to quibble over breaking a few eggs, are you? After all, there are starving peasants who might actually find work in the US and god knows we can't tolerate that.

Jeez, I wish you people would at least try thinking on occasion.

[AnneD]

101. Thanks

ITA and have posted variations of your post before. Living in a border state and seeing your wages depressed, your country/indigent health care overburdened/underfunded by non paying illegals, and seeing your public school test scores sink because this may be the first time these older elem kids have seen the inside of a class (and remember this 'failure' causes you to lose funding due to the No Child Left Behind) and classes become overcrowded, tends to sour you a tad.
Remember, we are talking about ILLEAGAL IMMIGRANTS. I have no problem with those that do the paperwork to get into the country. People here are frustrated. The BP are not doing their job d/t underfunding, and Bush is all but legalizing this 'low cost' labour for his corp buddies.
I sympathize with the desire for a better life, but it has gotten out of hand here in Texas. An example of how bad this is.....a rumour floated around one of elementary schools that the INS was going to do a raid at the school (will never happen) and that day 1/3 thirds (almost 2/3) let me repeat, 1/3 thrids (almost 2/3) of the students were absent that day. Boy, was that an eye opener for the school district.
Thanks for the well thought out post.

[Redstone]

106. Oh, no, it's the evil ACLU again!

"The last thing they want is the ACLU jumping down their throats for violating the civil rights of non-citizens (although how the Constitution applies to them is beyond me)."

Gee, we wouldn't want the ACLU to be making sure thes people don't get beaten or whacked by the Minutemutts, would we? They're foreigners, so they're fair game.

Nice attitude.

Redstone

[Beaverhausen]

50. dupe

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1367343

[callous taoboy]

51. Tell Hank Hill and Boomhauer to GO HOME!

[DoNotRefill]

56. Well, they're showing just how ineffective the Border Patrol is....

and you think the Border Patrol would be HAPPY about it???

[ConcernedCanuk]

63. The Administration WANTS a terrorist to make it across that border

.
.
.

Then they can invade Mexico

Why else would they not make it air-tight, 'specially since 9/11 ?

Mexico has oil, remember?

They managed to scrape up enuf people and weapons to put over 150,000 warriors in the Middle East

Imagine what a wee percentage of that manpower and equipment could do on the southern border . .

naahh

The Admin is leaving that border loose for a reason,

and it ain't gonna be purty when we find out why . . .

:scared:

[barb162]

66. if a terrorist comes in through that border (and I don't see why not

since it's wide open)I think/hope the Dems and GOP can finally unite on something and impeach that son of a bitch already.

[Name removed]

71. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[barb162]

72. that southern border and our seaports are accidents waiting to happen.

Bush has been lucky so far since 9-11. That's all it is, luck. They can hit us any damned time they want. We just let people walk right in. Insane. I know the (non CEO type, non- illegal hiring) pugs are really upset about the border security too. It is shrub's job to protect the US. All border patrol should have been beefed up like crazy since 9/11. And all somebody has to do is put a smallish A-bomb on a ship headed for LA Harbor and screw up about 40% of the shipping for this country (and kill thousands of people).

Shrub actually tried to lower the border security money in his last budget and Congress increased it as it was already so woefully inadequate. He does not want security on that border. He is not protecting this country. Maybe try to impeach that bastard now.

[Bridget Burke]

78. Nothing is being done about the seaports, either.

Huge container ships come up the Houston Ship Channel every day. Very few containers are inspected. And the ships pass through a jungle of petrochemical plants. Lots of bang for the buck....

[barb162]

84. I am familiar with the HSC. Any ship with a weapon on it can do

so much damage there it's not funny. Also the Mississippi River offers a lot of catastrophic scenarios. And then the actual seaports like LA HArbor, Boston, NY, Portland, etc. We are sitting ducks in this country and I think Bush is simply not putting enough resources into his so-called Homeland Security Dept.

It's more like "Homeland and Border NON-Security Dept.

[Bridget Burke]

87. Interesting stuff.

Do you have a link to a reputable site that supports your statements?

[AnneD]

109. My Mom

lives in AZ and said that it was widely reported that passport and papers written in arabic were found in AZ. We also had a case in (I think El Paso) where a woman that later turned out to have terrorist connection was caught at the border airport (pages missing from passport or forged passport, I can't remember what made the agent suspicious). Don't trust my poor memory or the fact that I have lived in border states all my life...try this

http://www.house.gov/hsc/democrats/pdf/press/sbreport/border.pdf

[Bridget Burke]

77. Didn't some of the 9/11 guys come in through Canada?

Of course, they used pseudo-legal methods.

[ConcernedCanuk]

79. OMFG - I wunder how many more still believe that . .

.
.
.

NO!

The US took their sweet time about it, and the admission of their false accusation was a weeniy thing compared to the hoopla about how some came across the border

as well of Photographs - ONE of a Canadaian who was overseas at the time!

sumthing like their apology for blowing 4 Canuks to shit by a pilot that had been ORDERED to hold his fire

After may months, we got an

"oops"

"sorry"

carry on . . .

:mad:

[KansDem]

81. Rare photo of a vigilante volunteer in action!

But we're NOT illegals! We're from the US Border Patrol, out here to reset the sensors you've been tripping!!!

[Megahurtz]

85. Oh Good God.

Police wannabe-posers. That's dangerous!

[Ratty]

88. Tripping the sensors, that's sweet!

Way to go guys. Don't make it easy for those gun-loving psycho nutjobs.

[Trillo]

107. "Every sensor has to be addressed,"

What a shame. Why not address 'all the illegals' entering by other than legal means?

The illegals could be 'terrorists'.

[-..__...]

113. And whose fault is that?

If the Border Patrol had sought to coordinate and cooperate with the Minutemen, this wouldn't be happening.

Would have been a simple matter to set-up some sort of communications network or liaison to work with and assist the Minutemen.
Better still, they could have assigned one officer to each Minuteman patrol to keep track location of each group and at least minimize the "false alarms".

If anyone is to blame here it's the Governments handling of the border situation and kissing Vincente Foxs ass.

The Border Patrol has egg on it's face so make excuses by blaming the wrong people.

[Judi Lynn]

115. Border Militia Divides Arizona Residents

Border Militia Divides Arizona Residents
By Tim Gaynor | April 6, 2005

.......In the old copper mining town of Bisbee, which reinvented itself as a refuge for writers and painters after the mine closed in the 1970s, many eye the vigilantes with suspicion.

"I had a Salvadoran work for me for six months, and it's not uncommon for people here to drive a migrant north in their car rather than hand them over to the U.S. Border Patrol," said cafe owner Charles Lewis.

Lewis and some other residents in this town in the Mule Mountains just north of the border say they fear the Minuteman volunteers much more than the migrants who trek across ranches and public land on the way north.

"I'd rather take my chances with the Mexicans than one of these U.S. military type idiots taking part in the patrols," local truck driver John Porter told Reuters, as he took the sun on a sidewalk table outside the Daily Diner.

"Migrants pay their taxes and I don't have a problem with them," he added.
(snip)

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2005/04/06/border_militia_divides_arizona_residents/