Minuteman Blog Central

The Sacramento Bee reports on the Minuteman rally on Saturday. The ''free speech for me but not for thee'' crowd was there. Fortunately law enforcement officers were there too.

One group wants to end illegal immigration. The other rejects what it calls the armed uprising that the first group has begun.
They clashed Saturday in the shadow of the Capitol, and three people were arrested. Still, it turns out, they agree on one thing: The system is broken.

"This isn''t about hatred. This isn''t about racism. We stand against a broken system that has failed all of us," said Tim Donnelly, leader of the Minuteman Corps of California, one branch of a group that organizes armed citizen patrols of America''s border with Mexico.

Donnelly''s group held a rally on the Capitol steps that drew about 200 people. The group supports a ballot initiative to create a new state police force to patrol the border.

The Associated Press reports on the wind down of Minuteman border watch patrols in New Mexico:

Minuteman member Steve Studley, 49, of Hobbs said the group reported about 20 illegal aliens. Studley, who spent three weeks near Hachita, N.M., said the group succeeded in deterring non-citizens from crossing illegally.

"That''s all we''re trying to prove, is that a presence is what it takes to deter them," he said.

SNIP

Studley said a goal of the Minutemen is to draw the federal government''s attention to the issue of illegal immigration. The Minutemen could return to Hachita again in April if no changes are made, he said.

"Unless the government does something drastic between now and April, we''ll probably be back again," he said.

The Los Angeles Times reports via KTLA that attacks on U.S. agents patrolling the Mexican border have doubled in the past year.

SAN YSIDRO, Calif. — Assaults against U.S. Border Patrol agents nearly doubled along the Mexican border over the last year as patrols cracking down on drug trafficking and migrant smuggling encountered increasing resistance — including the use of rocks, Molotov cocktails and gunfire.

At least 687 assaults against agents were reported during the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, up from the previous year''s total of 354 and the highest since the agency began tracking assaults across the Southwest border in the late 1990s, according to Border Patrol officials.

Most assaults occurred near urban smuggling havens such as Nogales, Ariz., and Tijuana, but cross-border skirmishes took place from remote California deserts to the banks of the Rio Grande in Texas.

The article is filled with examples of the assaults on Americans on American soil by those trying to enter our country illegally.

Toward the end of the article, an example of the cooperation extended by our neighbors to the south is given:

Their Mexican counterparts have agreed to erect 50 signs along the fence warning people that assaulting agents is against the law.

Thanks. That''ll help. A lot. Especially if the signs are real big.

The Washington Times has an article today on the Rough Riders, a group of New Mexico ranchers who have joined the Minutemen to patrol the border on horseback.

An excerpt:

PLAYAS VALLEY, N.M. -- For the 100 years that Robert Been''s family has been grazing cattle and raising horses on this isolated, scrub-brush desert in New Mexico''s southwestern corner, illegal aliens have been crossing into the United States.

Mr. Been, whose 2,500-acre ranch straddles a long-established immigration corridor, recalls his parents giving illegals food, water and clothing to guard against the cold desert nights. It was "just a way of life here."

"They were respectful of us, and we returned that respect."

But things have changed in this remote desert valley and the adjoining Animus Canyon.

"The alien smugglers and drug dealers we now face don''t care about anything or anybody. They are ruthless" and the "aliens are much different," said Mr. Been, 48.

"They''re tearing down our fences, destroying our water tanks, breaking into our homes, slaughtering our cattle, stealing our horses and threatening our families," he said as he prepared his horse for a daylong patrol along the U.S.-Mexico border.

The Washington Post has an article today on the adventures of the New England Minutemen in Vermont. The article is typical Post fare and is similar in perspective to The Boston Globe article published a few weeks ago.

The City Journal has an excellent article by Heather MacDonald based on an interview she did with Deputy Consul General Mario Velázquez-Suárez of the Mexican consulate in Los Angeles.

This is a lengthy piece, so fix yourself a cup of coffee before you click the link (maybe tea if you don''t want your nerves being too upset when you''re done.)

The Hill newspaper published an op-ed last Thursday by Texas Democratic Representatives Charles Gonzalez and Silvestre Reyes that calls for the Minutemen to go after employers hiring illegal aliens.

They got in a few digs on the Minutemen about our border watch operatons, but we''ve heard worse.

Thanks for the tip about holding employers accountable gentlemen, but we already are doing that with Operation Spotlight.

An excerpt:

If anti-immigration groups, such as the Minutemen, are truly serious about stemming the flow of illegal immigration, they should refocus their efforts and picket or boycott the work sites and employers that encourage illegal immigration by hiring undocumented immigrants. Ultimately, if you reduce the employment opportunities, you will remove the incentive for the vast majority of people who decide to come here illegally.

Gonzalez represents the San Antonio area, and Reyes represents western Texas, including El Paso.

One more thing, the Minutemen are NOT anti-immigrant. We are against illegal immigration. All we want is for immigrants to come through the front door and sign the guest book--just like when you visit a Congressional office.

The Valley Morning Star wrote about a debate last week between Texas Minutemen leaders Al Garza and Dr. Michael Vickers and two groups opposed to the Minutemen.

An excerpt:

KINGSVILLE - For weeks, the arrival of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps in South Texas fueled fiery debate among students at Texas A&M University at Kingsville.

"The issues of immigration and frontier ... justice affect everyone," said Aaron Cuevas, 22, a graduate student in political science here. "We wanted the information to come right from the source so it would go unfiltered, so students and residents could make educated opinions."

Tuesday night, Cuevas and other students helped the university sponsor a forum that pitted two Minutemen against the leader of an opposition group and two attorneys for a Mexican-American civil rights organization.

The Georgia Straight has an article by Terry Glavin about the Washington State Minutemen.

Read the whole thing, but here''s an excerpt:

These are the Minutemen. Two pals in a trailer, drinking coffee, content with one another’s company and the affections of three little dogs. They chat by walkie-talkie with about a dozen grandparents parked in cars and campers at a series of roadside spots along the border between Blaine and Sumas. They’re volunteers. They’re armed with binoculars. True enough, some of them persist in the charming and exotic American custom of lawfully possessing handguns.

But that’s it.

“I don’t even listen to Rush Limbaugh,” Tom Williams told me during my visit to the trailer one recent rainy afternoon. Williams is the white-bearded, 64-year-old state leader of the Washington Minuteman detachment. He’s a former U.S. Marine and a retired trauma counsellor. He lives in nearby Deming, in a nice little place on the Nooksack River. Hobbies: wildflowers, gold-panning.

The current usage of the phrase “immigation reform” easily qualifies as one of the most savagely twisted examples of semantics in current politics. Absolutely none of the proposals I have read to date has anything to do with immigration.

Nowhere in all the rhetoric and sophomoric sound bites is there a single reference to that forgotten group – legal immigrants. Remember them? They’re the honest people who are trying to reach this country using the legally prescribed channels. They spend thousands of dollars in fees, submit reams of paperwork, undergo thorough background and health checks – and wait for years while the bureaucracy shambles along and randomly loses key documents. It’s a miracle we have any legal immigration at all.

Has anyone reading this screed seen any proposals to fix legal immigration? If so, I really want to hear about it. Our government can’t even begin to handle the 500,000 still legally waiting offshore at any given moment in anything like a timely fashion. Our politicians must be living in a drug-addled alternate reality if they think the government can even begin to handle the 10 to 12 million illegal aliens estimated to be working here. Toss in their families and we could easily be talking about 30 million “guests”.

First, stop and think of the sheer size of the bureaucracy needed to administer a guest worker program of that magnitude. You would needs tens of thousands of new government workers: clerks, investigators, adjudicators, etc. One of the first things to happen would be diversion of a very large chunk of the legal immigration workforce at Citizenship and Immigration Services to handle the illegal alien hordes. Legal immigration would slow to a virtual halt; is that fair to those who have been trying to get here legally? Does this constitute “immigration reform”?

It is nothing but amnesty for illegal aliens, even if few of our politicians have the spine to admit it. Most politicians would have to put on a double pair of Depends undergarments before uttering the word. Unfortunately, amnesty is a constant aspect of the game on our southern border.

When an illegal alien is caught crossing the first time, it’s a misdemeanor. If they’re Mexican, they are offered voluntary deportation in lieu of charges – a form of amnesty – and returned home. The Border Patrol sees a lot of repeat clientele; under Federal law, each repeat offense is a felony. Still, they are “amnestied” back across the border, sometimes dozens of times. Do we let all the felony counts slide?

Let’s look at the colorful life of an illegal alien and the list of legal issues that make their existence here possible: document fraud, forgery, identity fraud, identity theft, working illegally, tax evasion, tax fraud, fraudulent use of government benefits, etcetera ad nauseum and most are considered felonies. Do we amnesty all of these activities as well?

If an American citizen gets caught at any of these pursuits they end up as a Guest Worker – as a Guest of the State – and amnesties are few and far between for them.

The government owes the rest of us the assurance that any guest worker meets the same background checks as anyone trying to legally immigrate. They at least owe us something better than the existing system that renewed several 9/11 hijackers’ visas six months after they died whacking the World Trade Center and killing a few thousand people.

Most illegal aliens have totally inadequate personal documentation. Many have fraudulent documentation, often in a variety of names. We really don’t know who they are and have little chance of adequately checking their backgrounds in their home countries or here. And remember, their home country really doesn’t want them back, especially if they have a troublesome past.

From a taxpayer viewpoint, just looking at the size of the required bureaucracy for screening illegal aliens to become guest workers, all the cheapness in cheap labor went right out the window. Tax collections go up to pay for it, or tax revenues are diverted away from programs for American citizens.

Now let’s look at the side of “immigration reform” that our leaders constantly promise, but haven’t delivered since the days of Dwight Eisenhower: enforcement. Every “immigration reform” measure since that time consisted of an amnesty and a promise of future enforcement. We certainly got the amnesties, but apparently the future that contains the enforcement has not arrived yet.

So, if it ain’t “immigration reform”, just what is all this bizarre yammering from the District of Corruption?

Well, part of it is economic reform for Mexico. Until recently, their oil revenues were at Number One on the official revenue list. Mexico’s oil revenues for 2004 amounted to $24 billion; remittances from its erstwhile citizens here in El Norte almost matched that. Add in the $8 billion generated by trafficking in aliens and oil comes in second. Those who dabble in diplomacy advise me not to mention this, but aliens and oil are at a very distant second and third place disadvantage when compared to Mexico’s illicit narcotics revenues. Mentioning this rude fact in polite company is the same level of social and diplomatic faux pas as openly remarking on the Queen of England’s buns.

Another part is political reform, again for the advantage of Mexico. The best one can say for Mexico’s government is that it has been totally ineffectual since its independence from Spain. Then again, it was worse before that. Now, however, they have the advantage of being able to ship the discontented, the indigent and uneducated off to El Norte, thus delaying any serious reforms in that benighted country – and our government lets them.

The last part is labor reform pure and simple, but this time on behalf of certain industries in the United States that have become addicted to cheap labor. The more cunning amongst this crowd do not want to see any reforms whatsoever. Why?

Hector, the legal guest worker would have the same protections as an American employee: prevailing wages, Workers Compensation, Social Security, and all those other expenses the employer is trying to avoid. Remember, it’s all about privatizing profits and socializing costs. If Hector costs as much as a gringo, then he’s no longer cheap labor. But hey, there’s always Carlos, the next illegal alien over the fence, to replace him in the under-the-table wage group. Besides, if our previous history of non-enforcement is any indication, our unscrupulous employers can expect a visit from unicorns long before they see a visit from Immigrations and Customs Enforcement.

Do you want a peek at the real dirty little secret of “immigration reform”? Just look closely at the AgJobs bill championed by Congressman Chris Cannon of Utah. Hidden away in the details (and truly the Devil is in the details) is language giving amnesty and official forgiveness to any employer who ever transgressed against hiring illegal aliens. (Now that''s novel -- an amnesty for Americans.) I’m willing to bet the entire bankroll that similar language gets weaseled into any new version of “immigration reform”.

So, if this really isn’t immigration reform, let’s not waste legislative time discussing it. Let’s talk about enforcement instead. Once the government proves the long term ability and will for real enforcement – from the border to the boardroom – maybe we can take another look at some sort of guest worker program in a few years. We’ve seen enough amnesties; now it’s enforcement’s turn. We don’t need new laws for enforcement; we have plenty that have just never been used. We just need the appropriations for the resources to make the system work – and an absence of political interference.

A parting shot at the Cheap Labor Lobby: It’s almost Halloween; a lot of law-abiding citizens really want to see some of you wearing orange for the occasion.

The CBS News website has a text version of their story that ran last night.

An excerpt below:

(CBS) They''ve been called everything from visionaries to vigilantes. Whatever you think of these self-described night watchmen of the border, the Minutemen seem to be right about one thing:

"It''s going to grow, and it''s going to surprise a lot of people who were hoping we would go away," one Minuteman says.

They''re not going away, CBS News correspondent Lee Cowan reports.

Click the title link for the rest of the story.

This week our California Border Watch hit full stride with an excellent turnout for not only the weekend, but also the entire week. Chris and the boys in the big blue bus rolled into town at 4 AM on Friday morning, then promptly departed for Chicago, where he walked among the hundreds of protesters who showed up at the Chicago Minuteman Project event, but was never recognized.. Never a dull moment. I participated in a panel discussion at the University of San Diego that same day. It was a bit one-sided, but I was well-received by all but one individual.

It was an excellent week for media: CNN sent Casey Wian down to our line, and he included us in a broader story on the Minuteman movement since April. In spite of rain and windy weather, the sun came through for us when CNN arrived. We had a Reader''s Digest reporter in camp who went on 2 night ops with us. Also, the Inland Valley Daily bulletin sent Sarah Carter and Marc Campos down to cover the press conference with Chris Simcox and Jim Gilchrist.

A lot of new friendships developed this week as we huddled together in the rain around a campfire, and a barbeque. We were able to eat together several times in camp as weather cancelled our night ops twice.

We have developed two new private property sites and one on public land. As our operation grows in effectiveness, it has also grown in size. The protesters no longer visit us. We think we bored them to death, which was our plan.

We are gearing up for our final weekend.

The rally in Sacramento looks to be excellent with a number of excellent speakers. It will be on the steps of the Capitol starting at 10 AM. For more information, please visit the website. Please join us if you are able.

All are invited to join us on the line on Saturday, October 29th.

On Sunday, October 30th, all Minutemen are welcome to join us for a brunch in the Outdoor World Campground at 37133 Hwy 94 in Boulevard, CA. Take Hwy 8 to the Live Oak Springs/Crestwood Drive Exit, turn right & then take your 2nd right on Church Rd. (directly opposite the entrance to the Golden Acorn Casino). Take Church Road until it ends at Hwy 94. Turn left on Hwy 94 and go one mile. Turn right on a partially paved road that leads to the campground entrance on the left. Note: please check in with the office and thank them for supporting us.

We will be manning the lines through Monday, October 31st, although we expect many people will go home on Sunday.

We hope to see you this weekend, even if you just drop by to celebrate the efforts of so many at our Sunday brunch.

Godspeed.

Tim Donnelly
Leader, Minuteman Corps of California

Oct. 23, 2005

Again, we are sitting on the Naco line, it is getting colder by the day. Of course, we are now desert rats, having lived in the desert for quite some time and it only needs to drop a few degrees and we are cold. The star studded sky is magnificent and it makes us realize how beautiful this State of Arizona is if it were not for the huge amount of undocumented aliens coming across.

We have just received a report from the Border Patrol. In the last 5 days,
Border Patrol has apprehended, with our help, 714 undocumented aliens, just on the Naco line. Yeah, it goes to show how effective we are. Because of our presence of covering about a 2-3 mile stretch, the illegal aliens are going around our posts where they are being welcomed by the Border Patrol.

Drugs have also been secured although Border Patrol will not give us that information. But we know it is the month of October and the drugs which have been harvested in September need to be delivered into the U.S.A. So, even though we are not getting numbers on how much drugs have been secured, we did find out indeed, it is taking place.

Our two brothers, of whom one of them has military background spot a group
again. They are sitting on a great spot and everybody envies them. Of
course, everybody wants to be the one to report sightings to the Border Patrol.

Suddenly, two illegal aliens are walking across to the U.S. and our two guys who have hit the ground are calling the coms station so they in turn report the incident to the Border Patrol.

Border Patrol dispatched a vehicle immediately and within about 3 minutes
the vehicle was on site. Report on apprehension will follow. Our two brothers then witnessed more aliens on top of a railroad trestle who were folding their laundry, believe it or not. Not a worry in the world, I
guess, still being safe in their own country. Scouts maybe? Did they try the run into what they think is their freedom? We have to get the information the next day from BP.

The rest of the night went rather quietly. But on our way out we spotted
about 10 Border Patrol vehicles, ready in place to stop and apprehend what was going around us.

If our presence on the border detains the aliens from coming across, then, President Bush, should not this prove to you that putting the National Guard on the border until we can find a permanent solution to secure the border is the only way to go to keep our country safe!

Thanks to all of our volunteers, the great patriots of America!
Carmen - sector chief Naco line
Connie - sector chief Huachuca line

The National Review has an op-ed by Allan Wall, a Texas Army National Guard soldier serving in Iraq who has seen first hand what troops stationed on a border can do to stem the tide of illegal border crossers.

Mr. Wall is speaking solely for himself, of course.

Here''s an excerpt:

Some say it''s impossible to secure our borders. I don''t believe it. Here in Iraq I''ve seen what a determined national policy can accomplish in a short time. Back home, borders could be secured, if the political will existed. The technical means exist already. We have the resources. We have the personnel. Some have suggested we use the National Guard to secure the borders.

I think it''s a great idea. An excellent idea. An idea whose time has come. Many of the tasks necessary to secure the U.S. border are the same tasks we are already performing here in Iraq. They could be carried out just as easily (and less expensively) on our own borders. Here in Iraq, National Guardsmen are patrolling 24/7, logging thousands of miles in armored humvees. Why can''t they do the same on our own borders ?

In Iraq, Guardsmen secure defensive perimeters, they man guard towers, they operate UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles). They do surveillance in the dark with night-vision equipment. Why can''t they do the same on the borders of their own country?

The regular Army is doing that in New Mexico now, Mr. Wall, and it''s working.

The interviews included Chris Simcox and Dr. Mike Vickers.

You can click the link below to watch the video clip of the CBS Evening News (national) report on the Minutemen.

CBS Evening News 10/25/05

In September 1973 a man picked me up hitchiking in Benson, Arizona, on my way from LA to Corpus Christi. Two Mexican men crossed I10 in front of us barefoot, south to north, with their shoes tied together and hung over their necks. They each had a small plastic bottle on a string, a hat, and nothing else. They looked like coyotes, glancing both ways up and down the freeway, then crossing way out in the middle of nowhere. Where were they going?

The old man driving told me they were illegals, that they had come from a village way down to the south over the mountains that we could just see in the distant haze, way down in Mexico, and that they had crossed the desert barefoot to save their shoes for when they found work. He said the bottle was for water, that they made the trip on about a quart. I had been out of the infantry just over two years and thought about their trip. I asked why they would do such a thing.

The man said that in Mexico there is no work for men like these, that their only income came from making the desert trip, finding piece work, then taking the money back to their village. He said that, recently, he had to have a sanitary pit dug at his house and that the backhoe man had wanted over a thousand dollars--which he didn''t have--but two Mexican illegals came along and dug the hole in one day with picks and shovels for fifty dollars. Fifty dollars, and sandwiches for lunch, and the hole was perfectly square--as good or better than the backhoe could do.

He said that just as America had become a source of income for these people, the local economy had come to depend on their labor. Otherwise, neither side would live nearly as well; they were co-dependant.

Sixteen years later I was a welfare worker in San Diego County, Calif. interviewing recent arrivals from Mexico every morning. Many of them were like the two men I''d seen crossing I10 in 1973; but most of them, applying for welfare, were pregnant women. I came to know why they came to America: Mexico doesn''t care. America cares, perhaps too much. I saw the supposedly infinite financial resources of the people of California being poured, like acid, over the decency, ethics and morality of the people of Mexico, reducing them to welfare dependency.

I taught English on the border, in the packing houses and barrios, in adult education, in migrant schools, and I supervised them for years as they passed through the American justice system in Texas--fascinating. I came to know them and the border, how its lack of structure draws the criminal element from both sides, how it feeds on innocence and need, encourages amorality and violence. The situation in California fifteen years ago was hopeless--I can only imagine the current misery there and in Arizona and New Mexico; public agencies and others wish it were as simple as when I worked there.

So now the border has gained national attention--thank God. If conditions I worked in fifteen years ago are considered the good old days, what will they be in another fifteen if we don''t do something now? With luck, a national movement will reform the border as labor was reformed at the beginning of the twentieth century, setting structure for the phenominal growth the border will see in this century. And as the population explodes, the Rio Grande Valley becomes one massive Los Angeles, the deserts fill up with Hispanic or Asian migrants, few of those people will study history to find us--who cared enough to challenge authority, to bring decency and structure to this nightmare.

The situation is that severe. What we do now will determine whether criminal activity or the rule of law dominate North America, as this wave of immigration sweeps north for the rest of the century.

I forgot to mention the men I worked with on Spring Street in LA in 1966 and 1967, who were there at the factory when I arrived at 7:30 and were there when I left at 5. They cursed when there was no work.
There is no place for men like these in Mexico--there should be.

Apparently, Mexico will not change. We on this side of the border, of all races and ethnicities, where there is a semblance of law and order, will have to do all the work.

Sacre bleu! The BayouBuzz website buzzes about Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu speaking out against the hiring of illegal aliens after electricians informed her they had been laid off and replaced by illegal aliens at a job site at the Belle Chase Naval Air Station. The reconstruction work is being done by subsidiaries of Halliburton.

An ICE investigation prompted by Landrieu found at least 10 illegal aliens working at the reconstruction site.

BayouBuzz reports Landrieu sent a letter yesterday to the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security and Citizenship to investigate federal contractors'' hiring illegal aliens for the Gulf Coast Reconstruction project.

Big trouble in North Dakota. Wal-Mart does the right thing, but a little late.

Details can be found at KXMA-TV

The CBS Evening News will feature a story about the Minutemen tonight. Will it be a straight news story or a hit piece? Tune in to find out. Check your local listings for time and station.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist has announced that he will bring border security legislation to the Senate floor in February. This is good news, but that will happen four months from now. While we wait for the Senate to act, hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens will be taking advantage of the cooler weather and the catch and release program to continue overrunning our borders.

This month, the U.S. military has shut down a twenty mile stretch of the New Mexico border by staging a training exercise with the Border Patrol.

That''s the kind of action we''re looking for, but on a much larger scale and much quicker timetable. The status quo cannot be maintained. The stakes are too high for our national security.

Text of Dr. Frist''s message below:

Breaking News On Border Security

Author: Bill Frist, M.D.
October 24th, 2005

So many of you have written or posted on my blog about border security that I wanted to share some news with you first, tonight, before I let the Senate know tomorrow…

As many of you know, almost two weeks ago, I was down on the Texas border in the Rio Grande Valley. That night, over 400 illegal immigrants (and 200 pounds of marijuana) were seized crossing the border.

Again … that was just ONE night.

Sure … we caught 400. But you had to wonder, how many more slipped through unseen?

During my trip we took an aerial tour in a Blackhawk helicopter ... briefed in flight by Sector Chief Lynn Underdown.

The Rio Grande river in that sector is less than 30 feet across at some points ... illegal aliens cross in rafts and inner tubes - many of which I saw abandoned on the banks of the river.

From the helicopter, it became immediately clear that to protect this border is a massive challenge, and one that we must meet head-on.

Last week, President Bush signed a law to increase the number of agents patrolling our borders. A good step forward, but with an estimated 11 million people living here undocumented, it’s going to take more than just manpower.

Make no mistake, we’re a nation founded by immigrants. But we’re also a nation founded on the rule of law. And when people don’t respect the laws of our land, it’s OUR JOB to enforce them.

We need real immigration reform.

That begins by enforcing the laws already on the books.

We need comprehensive reform that protects not only our national security…but the interests of our economy. And by that, I don’t mean amnesty. Let me be clear: I oppose amnesty …individuals who violate America’s laws should NOT be rewarded for illegal behavior.

America has always opened her arms to those who long for a better life. But the simple fact is … a country that can’t control its own borders can’t control its own destiny.

So here is what I want you to know:

Tomorrow, I will announce that I will bring border security legislation to the Senate floor at the beginning of next year, in February…and I expect there to be a full and comprehensive debate.

We need broader legislation …legislation that reduces the number of deaths of people trying to cross the border illegally … reduces the trafficking in, and exploitation of, human beings that is so rampant today …and adds another layer of protection against the terrorist threat which still exists.

Above all, I hope this proposed legislation will open the door to a real conversation about how to fix our immigration system.

The time has come for meaningful reform … reform that looks to the future.

This country MUST do a better job enforcing our borders. And we will.

You have my promise to push for stricter enforcement.

You have my promise to stand beside the heroic agents – like Chief Underdown – working long hours in the face of overwhelming odds.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

9/11 FAMILIES FOR A SECURE AMERICA ENDORSE MINUTEMEN

ANNOUNCEMENT AT ‘SECURE OUR BORDERS’ RALLY ON CAPITOL STEPS IN SACRAMENTO

When: 10 a.m. Saturday, October 29, 2005
Where: West Capitol steps, Sacramento, CA

Tombstone, AZ (October 25, 2005) – 9/11 Families for a Secure America will announce their endorsement of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps (“MCDC”) at the “Secure Our Borders” rally this Saturday, October 29, 2005, on the West steps of the Capitol building in Sacramento, CA. The rally will also feature an appearance by Congressional candidate and Minuteman Project co-founder Jim Gilchrist as well as a signature gathering for the California Border Police initiative.

Confirmed participants include:

• Peter Gadiel, Joan Molinaro and Bruce DeCell, representing
9/11 Families for a Secure America
• Rally emcee Mark Williams, KFBK radio talk show host
• Jim Gilchrist, 48th Congressional district candidate and co-founder of the Minuteman Project
• Assemblyman Ray Haynes, Chairman, California Border Police Initiative
• John W. March, Father of murdered L.A. Sheriff Deputy David March
• Tim Donnelly, Minuteman Civil Defense Corps – California
• Andy Ramirez, Friends of the Border Patrol
• Terry Anderson, KRLA radio talk show host
• Dan Sheehy, Author, “Fighting Immigration Anarchy”
• Former Assemblyman Larry Bowler
• Lupe Moreno, Co-Chair, Latinos for Immigration Reform
• Country Singer Doug Alan, accompanied by Garrick Alden

MCDC has been conducting a month-long border watch program this October called “Secure Our Borders.” Over four thousand trained Minuteman volunteers have participated in non-confrontational border watch efforts on America''s northern and southern borders. Minutemen act as extra eyes and ears for the Border Patrol and report directly to authorities any sightings of border crossings at other than legal ports of entry.

USA Today has an article about the Washington state Minutemen. Click the link to read all about it.

CBS Evening News ran a story last night about the abysmal catch and release policy that Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff says will be ending sometime in the future.

In the meantime, CBS reports the the program is very popular with illegal immigrants and is actually encouraging them to break our laws.

What a country!

The National Republican Senatorial Committee has an online survey about illegal immigration.

You need to give them a name and e-mail address to take the survey.

Here are a few sample questions:

Do you believe illegal immigrants already in our country, holding jobs, should be granted a conditional amnesty?
Yes No Unsure

Should the U.S. military be empowered to patrol the border with Mexico?
Yes No Unsure

Do you support an expanded guest worker program that allows foreign nationals to come to this nation for a limited time if they are sponsored by companies willing to guarantee them jobs?
Yes No Unsure

There are nine questions in all. As of this posting, their server is having a problem handling the survey. Hopefully it''ll work better later today.

The Illinois Leader published an op-ed by Lee Enokian about the recent Minuteman conference held just outside Chicago.

Click the title link to read the piece. It''s worth the time to read.

USA Today has an article about the problem with illegal workers gathering at ''day labor'' sites around the country.

George Taplin, head of the new Herndon Minuteman chapter in Virginia is quoted a couple times.

The Washington Times has a front page story on the Minuteman volunteers in New Mexico.

An excerpt:

HACHITA, N.M. -- Known as "J-Man," the 25-year-old college student moves silently along a rock-strewn ridge overlooking the Playas Valley here, looking for aliens and drug smugglers crossing the rugged high desert into the United States from Mexico.

On top of a large lava outcropping known as the Towers, he is working what is called a "detached post" with two other Minuteman Civil Defense Corps volunteers, "Shorty" and "Grizzly," who man similar vantage points on opposite sides of the expansive ridge.

J-Man reports his position by walkie-talkie to his team leader, "White Shadow," a 76-year-old retired California man stationed atop the ridge, and returns to his binoculars trained on the valley stretched below as far as the eye can see.

SNIP

Highway 81 crosses into Mexico at Antelope Wells, some 45 miles south of here, where it becomes Mexican Highway 2. Alien and drug smugglers are taking their cargoes through the harsh Playas Valley and nearby Animus Canyon to Interstate 10, where the aliens and the drugs are routed both east and west.

Ironically, this major alien- and drug-smuggling corridor is adjacent to a Department of Homeland Security training facility in the abandoned mining town of Playas.

"These guys are walking right on the doorstep of a Homeland Security training facility," Mr. Cole said. "Someone ought to take notice of that."

Chris Simcox speaks from the back of a Jeep

Jim Gilchrist on the scene!

Photos from around the CA Minuteman line

This news footage just in from 10/22/05. For best viewing results, click on the link below then click on the "Play in Windows Media Player" link when the new browser window opens. Enjoy!

Seattle, WA Fox 40 News 10/22/05

Report on Washington State Minutemen

Washington, DC WUSA CBS 10/22/05

Further report on Herndon, Virginia, new Minuteman chapter to monitor and report day labor sites

On the Border with Carmen and Connie 10/22/05

Yesterday in the afternoon we sat the Huachuca Line with our flags and in a very public way. The support from the vehicle horns outnumbered by far the disgusting gestures given to us by a few.

We took position for the night on the Naco Line around 1900 hrs and settled in for the night. At 2230 hrs. from Post 12 we call "Old Faithful" came a report of a sighting of two people just over the fence, waiting to cross. We agreed Post 12 should vacate the area and Post 11 move quietly closer to Post 12 in order to have better visibility to observe if the individuals crossed after Post 12 left.

Again Border Patrol was positioned on the main border road waiting as they would pick up any crossers that had waited for the Minutemen to leave the area.

After a half hour and not seeing a reportable crossing incident we left and the Border Patrol remained behind to watch for the crossers who wait for us to leave the area.

We have in our group two wonderful volunteers named Nellie and Phil, they have joined us after traveling for two days from Utah. They are in their seventies. Nellie works the radio and she and Phil sit a post diligently with the group at night.

Phil has a walker because he has an artificial leg. With the terrain they stay close to the vehicle, but have great ears and eyes and have sighted suspicious activity. This is an inspiration to all of us.

Where is our government? They should be ashamed. Nellie and Phil are doing the job our government refuses to do.

We are starting our last week on the border and the group is tired, but hanging in there. We realize how important this issue is and they know we are making a difference.

Since last April, several bills have been introduced all over the United States on a state and federal level. Most of the bills are throw away band-aid solutions, but the public is aware of this problem and are understanding the Minuteman Volunteers will not stand down until we are honorably relieved of our post by the government. Relieving us of our duty and closing the border.

We will not compromise on this issue.

Several of our volunteer''s are already committed to returning in April for another month long border watch. The group is growing is size and determination.

It is not too late to join us on the border for even a few days, we welcome all new volunteers!

God Bless you all and God Bless America

Connie Foust - Sector Chief
Carmen Mercer - Sector Chief

We have begun something new here, to provide some clips of programs doing coverage of the Minutemen nationwide!

Click on the link to view each program!

Lou Dobbs, CNN 10/20/05

Casey Wian reports from the California border with the Minutemen!

WJLA Washington, DC, ABC 10/20/05

Report on Herndon, Virginia Minuteman Chapter Forming to observe and report illegal day labor activity

WRC, Washington, DC, NBC 10/20/05

Report on Herndon, Virginia Minuteman Chapter forming to observe and report illegal day labor activity

This just in from a Minuteman volunteer in Hachita, NM

Mexican Government Pamphlet "How To" Illegally Enter U.S. Found at Border

Earlier this year, the Mexican government began dissimination of a pamphlet complete with drawings and instructions on how to illegally cross the border into the United States, causing outrage among American citizens.

This came in via email today from one of our volunteers:

I thought you guys may want to see this. This is the Mexican pamphlet I found on the line in Hachita, NM the night of October 15, 2005. It was inside a empty backpack hanging on a fence near the rest area on I-10 at mile marker 53. I scanned it in and saved it as a JPEG file. Feel free to use it as an illustration of how the Mexican Government supports illegal immigration and survival in the desert.

NAME WITHHELD

These just in from California in a size that was able to upload!

Thanks, anymouse!

The Associated Press in Yuma, Arizona reports on conditions on the border in Wellton:

A measly, mangled five-foot-tall barbed wire fence is all that stands between the Wellton U.S. Border Patrol station''s area of responsibility and the thousands of illegal immigrants whom agents caught driving or hiking into the U.S. desert from Mexico''s Highway 2 this year.

"There are places where the fence is knocked down from drive-throughs, and aliens are able to get through the fence," said Mike Gramley, public information officer for the Border Patrol''s Yuma sector.

Known as "the highway of death" by Mexican newspapers, Highway 2 runs along the border through the middle of the desert for about 124 miles. The highway''s position atop a 10-foot high embankment and its remote location in the desert have made it notorious for fatal accidents.

But for Border Patrol agents here in Wellton, the section of highway south of their area of responsibility is a 64-mile-wide starting block.

"Drug and alien smugglers can drive off of Mexican Highway 2, and drive right up to the Border Patrol station there''s nothing there," acting Border Patrol Field Operations Supervisor Joe Brigman said.

Full article can be read at the title link.

The Associated Press in Albany, New York has a brief story about the start of the New York Minutemen''s ''Secure Our Borders'' operations this weekend.

The article says fifteen volunteers will participate. That ought to be enough to get the leftists'' knickers in knots.

The Washington Times reports today on the organizational meeting of the Herndon Minutemen held last night in Northern Virginia.

An excerpt is below, but please click the link above to read the entire article.

Herndon, Virginia-area residents concerned about illegal immigration met last night to organize a new chapter of the Minutemen, a group that gained notice across the country when its members began patrolling the U.S.-Mexico border.

Organizer George Taplin said those who met at the Herndon Fort Nightly Library are opposed to the taxpayer-funded, day-laborer center that town officials want to build, and want to expose employers, landlords and others who would exploit legal immigrants and illegal aliens at the center.

"This summer it came to a head," said Mr. Taplin, a retired Navy officer. "I saw what was happening in terms of the Town Council and the mayor not paying attention to the constituency and I tried to get people to step up and do something about it."

Mr. Taplin said he decided to take charge because many were eager to act but reluctant to lead. He arrived at a basic plan by searching the Internet and finding information on "Operation Spotlight" in Houston.

Thanks for stepping up to the plate, George!

The Western Front Online reports the latest from Bellingham, Washington on Tom Williams and the Washington state Minutemen.

Tom, Claude and the rest are doing a great job watching the border and representing the Minutemen. They''ve caused quite a stir, what with the Bellingham City Council resolution denouncing them and the constant interest from U.S. and Canadian media.

“More people are calling wanting to volunteer, and I can’t get off the phone with news organizations like FOX News and USA Today, who both want to run stories about us and our political statement,” Williams said.

Who knew thirteen people hanging out in lawn chairs could cause so much controversy?

A temporary posting - here''s a list current through 21 OCT of legislation currently introduced in the House and Senate dealing with replacing the Minutemen. We''ll try to followup over the next few days with a summary and analysis of each, but for now, you can click the "Thomas" link above, input the bill number, (i.e. HR 1986...) and read the text of each of the following.
-HillView

HR 1986 - DOD Assistance to Border Patrol (Goode - 45 cosponsors)
HR 3401 - State Defense Force Improvement Act (Wilson - 14 cosponsors)
HR 3704 - Federal Border Patrol Auxiliary Act (Drake - 3 cosponsors)
HR 3622 - State Border Protection Corps Act (Culberson - 51 cosponsors)
S. 1823 - Illegal Immigration Enforcement and Empowerment Act (Hutchison - 0 cosponsors)

The Austin Statesman reports today that U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Austin) yesterday proposed a bill to authorize civilian border watch groups to work with the Department of Homeland Security.

McCaul''s bill would authorize Homeland Security to train, equip and supervise a civilian ''Border Corps'' similar to the Minutemen.

While we appreciate the recognition that our efforts are worthy of imitation, if the federal government put the National Guard on the border now and until the Border Patrol is properly staffed and funded to secure the border this would not be needed.

The Associated Press reports today on the military helping the Border Patrol with the New Mexico border.

COLUMBUS, N.M. - The U.S. Border Patrol is getting help from the U.S. Army to slow illegal immigration along New Mexico''s southern border.

Armored vehicles from a reconnaissance squadron based in Fort Lewis, Wash., were stationed along a 20-mile stretch of N.M. 9 between Columbus and Playas on Thursday, watching for immigrants.

Some of the vehicles with the 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment were equipped with mounted machine guns and long-range surveillance equipment.

Border Patrol spokesman Doug Mosier said the surveillance mission isn''t unusual and was planned last year.

The AP notes the Minuteman presence on the New Mexico border:

Members of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps have also been watching the Hatchita area this month.

"We''re happy to see them," Minuteman spokesman Gary Cole said of the Army troops. "We hope they''re here for a long time."

Amen, Gary.

MetroWest Daily News reports today on New England Minuteman Association leader Jeff Buck''s foray to Arizona this week and his plans for another border watch operation with Minuteman volunteers next weekend.

Thanks for your good work, Jeff!

Resolution Supports Monitoring Vigilante Groups for Force, Threats

The Daily Texan reports today on a resolution passed by the Austin Commission on Human Rights against groups like the Minutemen.

The resolution goes to the Austin City Council for action. According to the Texan, the resolution was produced by a leftist group:

Yvonne Montejano, an associate of the American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker human rights group which drafted the resolution, said that she doesn''t expect the resolution the (sic) keep Minutemen from coming to Austin.

"This is a proactive decision," she said. "It will regulate them."

Phil Johnson, head of the Houston Minuteman chapter is quoted as saying the Minutemen will not be deterred from exercising their rights:

"We''re American, we''re here to stay," said Johnson. "We will overshadow the socialist (sic) and communists who are against us."

You got that right, Phil!

It looks like the Austin Commission on Human Rights needs a refresher course on the Bill of Rights.

Lou Dobbs Tonight did a segment on the Minutemen last night. The transcript is available at this link here (scroll down).

An excerpt:

CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): When he first saw this stretch of border east of San Diego, Tim Donnelly was shocked.

TIM DONNELLY, MINUTEMAN VOLUNTEER: I mean, look at fence, it''s wide open. You can hurdle over it, you could slide under it. You can drive a vehicle right up to it and throw things over.

WIAN: But not now, because several groups of minutemen and women are watching. The media frenzy that accompanied the start of their effort in April has passed, but the minutemen remain on the job.

Buenos nachos, muchachos. I have a modest proposal I would like to lay before the Open Borders Lobby for their consideration.

What if we really did need some sort of guest worker program? Wouldn’t all of us here want it to be a model of efficiency and fairness to all? Seriously, in the interests of diversity, multiculturalism, and similar nebulous sacred cows we would want every group on the planet to feel included. After all, there are six billion other people living beyond our shores, about four billion of whom have never done anything to make us want to offend their sense of self-esteem.

So how do we make it fair?

First, limit the guest worker program to the four billion folks in countries we haven’t wanted to drop bombs on recently.

Second, make each of these friendlier country’s participation equal to their population’s percentage of said four billion.

Third, make each country’s guest workers be spread out among all sectors of the economy. That way our own work force doesn’t end up balkanized by too many of any one nationality in any one field. If they send a farm worker, they also send a registered nurse; if they send a chicken plucker, they also send a chemistry teacher.

Fourth, any guest worker or illegal alien detained or imprisoned in this country counts against their home country''s quota for the duration of their sentence and until deported.

Sound fair to everyone so far?

Let’s make the late night arithmetic simple by pretending that we need 400,000 guest workers for whatever reason, over and above legal immigration. This is not to suggest that we allow an additional 400,000 each year. This is just 400,000 present at any given moment. If a guest worker returns home, their country can send a replacement.

India has just over a billion people or 25% of the friendly population, so they can send 100,000 at any given time. The European Union has about 12% of the friendlies, so they get to send 48,000 at any given time. Brazil, at 5%, gets to send 20,000. Pakistan gets about 17,000; Bangladesh, 16,000; Russia, 16,000; Japan, 13,500; Mexico, 11,000; Philippines, 10,000; Germany, 14,000…

You get the picture. Now, to be fair, there are some real tiny countries out there. Pitcairn Island (of Mutiny on the Bounty fame) comes in dead last with only about 40 souls. If we make the arithmetic too strict, some of these smaller countries would be waiting for millenia to be able to participate or limited to sending an envelope with some fingernail clippings as a symbolic gesture. So we save about a hundred slots for these folks in the fly speck countries.

So there you have it – the utmost in diversity and inclusiveness – and none of our friends in other countries can whine about not getting their fair share of the pie. I can already hear a chorus of "Kumbaya" welling up all around me.

Call me pessimistic, but for some reason I just don’t think this is an acceptable solution to most of the Open Borders Lobby.

The Tonawanda News has a follow-up story on yesterday''s report of the arrest of smugglers, illegal aliens and 35 pounds of pot resulting from a tip by fishermen on the Niagra River.

Everyone is being held on various charges. Language is a barrier to interrogating the Chinese being held, however they have indicated they want lawyers.

A total of nine suspects were taken into custody. Authorities have declined to comment about two of them.

On The Border With Carmen and Connie

Last night we sat the Naco Line. Just at sundown our group on Post 5 observed a vehicle approaching a railroad trestle on a dirt road about 1000 yards inside Mexico. The vehicle stopped and made a drop of people. Our men at post 5 could see people milling around under the trestle and saw what appeared to be a leader with a flashlight. We are so grateful for the wonderful night vision monoculars donated by ITT. The group under the trestle either heard our radio transmissions or spotted us or a vehicle as they chose to remain under the trestle and did not cross. For those of you who have never been on the border, it is not unusual for groups to send a lone coyote out to observe what is around them and hole up for several hours until the perceived problem has left the area.

We were visited early in shift by a very considerate film crew, who got right into our stealth mode and respected our sound and light discipline. They did a short interview with Carmen and I, calling us the Granny Brigade. We have no problem with that as between us we have 8 grandchildren, whom we love and want to leave a safe and healthy country.

Close to the end of our shift another vehicle came in front of our post on the same road as the previous vehicle. I observed with the assistance of the ITT night vision, several males riding in the bed of the old truck. It stopped at another trestle further down the road and dropped the group at that point. We had a group of four volunteer''s at that observation point and they reported hearing the truck stop and after a bit the truck drove off. It was observed heading east and then south. This group also waited on the other side. We determined that if this group was going to cross, they would most likely wait for our people to pull out and then move onto our American soil. A Border Patrol officer checking the area in our location, stopped by post 0 who informed him of the situation as did post 5, he then made is way to our location. We called our line down at that time to not impede Border Patrol from doing their job.

We were advised that a group of 4 had been apprehended just east of us. The illegal aliens are going around us, so mission completed.
We would love to see a line that spanned the entire state of Arizona. We have made the point that if we had National Guard on the border, we could effectively close the border from illegal entry.

We want to welcome our delegation from Utah. They are a great asset to us and we appreciate having them among our ranks.

It dipped to under 50 degrees last night. For those of you who have never sat the high Sonoran Desert, it feels quite cold. The wind whipped gently last night giving us a break from the previous night. We are stationary and the crisp air permeates through our layers of clothing. I can''t describe the cold and I know my northern friends and family are grinning, but it is cold and at sometimes it can be miserable. However, granny has a blanket she puts over her knees as she waits for the inevitable in her lawn chair. I invite all grannies to join us in keeping out the illegal invasion while we wait for our government to do the right thing and protect our country.

God Bless You All

reporting from the Arizona desert

Connie Foust - Sector Chief
Carmen Mercer - Sector Chief

Knight Ridder Tribune reported on Texas Governor Rick Perry''s comments calling for the border to be secured before any guest worker programs are implemented.

Gov. Perry made his remarks after testifying before the House Committee on Homeland Security yesterday alongside Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano and Florida Governor Jeb Bush about disaster response.

KRT reports on Gov. Perry at the hearing:

"This is a huge problem, and it needs to be dealt with," Perry said, warning of "another terrorist attack" as a result of inadequate enforcement. Perry cited dramatic increases in illegal immigration from countries other than Mexico, including areas of the world sympathetic to al-Qaida and other terrorist groups.

KRT also quotes Gov. Perry after the hearing:

"Until the U.S.-Mexican border is secured to the point that we have substantially stopped the illegal trafficking of people and narcotics and terror, any discussion about a guest worker program is premature."

We hope President Bush heeds his fellow Texan.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

MINUTEMAN CHAPTER FORMING IN HERNDON

MEETING TONIGHT TO FOCUS ON DAY LABOR SITE AND EMPLOYERS HIRING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

WHEN: 7 p.m. Thursday, October 20th, 2005
WHERE: Herndon Fortnightly Library, 768 Center Street, Herndon, VA

HERNDON, VA (October 20, 2005) – A meeting will be held tonight at the Herndon Fortnightly Public Library to organize the Herndon Chapter of the Minuteman Project.

The volunteer group, which will participate in the national effort called Operation Spotlight, is forming to ensure national security by observing and reporting potential violations of federal and state laws with regard to illegal immigration and employers who hire them.

George Taplin, organizer of the Herndon Minuteman chapter, made the following comments about the meeting tonight:

“We encourage all Americans who are concerned about the unabated flood of illegal immigration to support the Minutemen in our peaceful, law-abiding actions.

“We reject the reasons for tolerating the status quo being proffered by those who profit from the criminal acts of illegal immigrants and employers alike for the establishment of ‘day labor sites’. Government, business and so-called human rights groups have struck a Devil’s pact that sacrifices the security of Americans and the dignity of illegal immigrants by encouraging behavior that violates the law and puts our country at risk of terrorist attacks.

“Their lax attitude toward the flood of illegal immigration in Northern Virginia created the conditions whereby several of the 9/11 terrorists were able to use the illegal alien underground to obtain IDs that helped them commit their heinous attacks on America.

"Rather than undermining our national security by making it easier for those who wish us harm to blend in to our society, local governments and businesses should be doing everything in their powers to protect their communities by upholding and obeying the law.”

By using a network of observers, informants, experienced attorneys and retired law enforcement personnel, the Minuteman Project’s Operation Spotlight will seek criminal convictions and civil penalties under existing federal and state laws against: Employers and their agents who have willfully exploited the illegal alien slave labor market in violation of long-standing immigration, tax and labor laws; operators of so-called safe-houses who harbor illegal aliens smuggled into the United States; persons conducting human smuggling operations, especially the smuggling of children for sexual exploitation and persons engaged in document fraud relative to illegal immigration.

On the Border with Carmen and Connie

We moved our line again tonight in an attempt to better assist Border Patrol.

Last night we were at the base of the Huachuca Mountains and observed what appeared to be a drug transaction. We called the event in and at this time do not have a status on it.

Close to the be end of our shift, we observed two rattlesnakes directly in front of post six. We radioed a caution warning as our volunteers on that post were about to exit the trees.

Tonight some volunteers spotted some light activity but did not have an actual sighting. Where we were positioned there are several deep washes that the illegal aliens travel through and they are hard to spot unless an individual is on top of the ravines. We are reconsidering this area for that reason. Safety of our volunteers is always foremost in our planning as Sector Chiefs.

Several new volunteers arrived today and we are encouraged by the turnout. We have several more posts that should be filled, so plan to join us if you can. Contact us via email at boogiegram2@msn.com or call 520-366-0652.

Tonight was bitterly cold with a sharp, biting wind. Everyone stayed the full tour and worked very well in our stealth mode. This is tough going in the cold because with being stationary people are getting uncomfortable by the end of the shift.

Bill our Line Leader is doing a great job setting us up in new areas and keeping track of everyone. This allowed Carmen and I to set the line this shift. We are usually working communications and are on the line but don''t have a post that is very effective in terms of sightings.
Our job with communications is to relay to Camp Tom Tancredo any sightings by volunteers and our comms person then calls Border Patrol. The response time for the Border Patrol is around five minutes. They know our location and generally have an agent close by.

We also have a great working relationship with the Cochise County Sheriff''s Department. They are supportive of all Americans being able to exercise their constitutional rights. We have been assigned a liaison who is in contact with us via phone or in person often.

There are some younger volunteers who have dubbed Carmen and I as the Granny Brigade. Well it''s okay and valid. We are both grandmothers and are generally found together. We do take our job seriously but are also having fun. Come and join the grannies.

We again want to thank our volunteers for suiting up and showing up. I know I use this term a lot, but it takes personal courage to be here and they are walking the walk.

God bless you all.

Connie Foust - Sector Chief
Carmen Mercer - Sector Chief

Reuters reports today on the smugglers'' haven Sasabe, Sonora just below the Mexican border with Arizona. In addition to confirming the report in The Arizona Daily Star from a few weeks ago, Reuters reports on the effect of the smugglers'' paradise on the American side:

Sasabe''s namesake twin just across the cactus-studded border in Arizona, has also been marked by the migration, as pristine desert trails are littered with empty water bottles, plastic bags and discarded clothing.

Residents say the roadway through the tiny village, which includes a primary school and a general store, has become a racetrack as Border Patrol units chase after smugglers fleeing back to Mexico in vans packed with migrants.

"One time they were going so fast through here that they spun off the road at the hairpin bend and through a neighbor''s wall," said long-suffering store owner Deborah Grider.

"We have a school here, and we are very concerned that someone could get killed," she added.

Paging Congress! Paging President Bush! Bueller? Anyone?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

CHRIS SIMCOX AND ARIZONA MINUTEMEN TO ANNOUNCE MID-MONTH REPORT OF OCTOBER BORDER WATCH EFFORTS

WHEN: 1 p.m. Thursday, October 20, 2005
WHERE: Camp Tom Tancredo, Hwy 92 in Miracle Valley, Palominas, AZ

TOMBSTONE, AZ (October 19, 2005) – Chris Simcox, President of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps (“MCDC”) and the Arizona Minutemen will hold a press conference on Thursday, October 20 at 1 p.m. to announce the status and results of this month’s ongoing border watch operations.

Inspired by April’s initial Minuteman patrols along 23 miles of the Arizona border, thousands of volunteers have joined the ranks of the Minuteman. The Bush administration, Congress and state governors have responded to the Minutemen and their supporters by putting forth various programs to address the crisis on the border.

MCDC is conducting a month-long border watch program this October called “Secure Our Borders.” An estimated four thousand trained Minuteman volunteers will participate in non-confrontational border watch efforts on America''s northern and southern borders. Minutemen act as extra eyes and ears for the Border Patrol and will report directly to authorities any sightings of border crossings at other than legal ports of entry.

The Tonawanda News in upstate New York reports on the success of a Border Patrol program to enlist citizen observers from boaters and fishermen on the waterways seperating New York and Canada reported by Fox News two weeks ago.

Acting on a tip from fishermen who observed suspicious activity on the Niagra River, Border Patrol and North Tonawanda Police nabbed seven illegal immigrants from China, thirty-five pounds of marijuana and two smugglers.

“This is an example of law enforcement and the public working together to protect the home front,” said Ed Duda, acting Border Patrol chief at the Buffalo Customs office.

Just like the Minutemen do, sir. Thanks for the encouragement!

KRQE-TV reports the Border Patrol seized 22 pounds of cocaine allegedly concealed in a car at a checkpoint on New Mexico 185 north of Las Cruces. The driver and passenger were turned over to the DEA.

Breaking news from KWTX-TV.

Border Patrol agents traded gunfire in an area west of Mission, TX this morning after spotting men coming out of the Rio Grande carrying sacks.

Gunfire erupted from across the border when the agents ordered the men to stop. The agents returned fire. Smugglers on the U.S. side of the border rammed the B.P. agents'' vehicle with theirs and then swam across the Rio Grande to safety.

No agents were hurt, but the smugglers took a hit in the wallet. 800 lbs of pot were confiscated.

SECURING THE BORDER NEGATES NEED FOR DETENTION SPACE

TOMBSTONE, AZ (October 18, 2005) – Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff today announced at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on illegal immigration that the department would phase out the “catch and release” policy for those termed “other than Mexicans” by the department.

Current policy allows for these OTMs to be released upon being discovered illegally entering this country, being assigned a court date for a deportation hearing months later. This allows for even those illegal border crossers from countries who sponsor terrorism to be released and unaccounted for in the United States.

Chris Simcox, President of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, made the following statement in response to the proposed end of the “catch and release” policy:

“It is outrageous that this ‘catch and release’ policy still exits four years after 9/11. We do not know how many of the millions of people who are here illegally have come from nations or organizations that support terrorism and al Qaeda. This is a disgraceful policy that has put American citizens in grave danger. Merely ending the ‘catch and release’ policy is an inadequate response.

“We keep hearing about how much it will cost to detain and deport people illegally entering this country. What is proposed here is to phase out ‘catch and release’ over the next year while spending millions of dollars on detention space. If we secured the borders, we would not need the detention space, and it would amount to a great deal of savings for the American taxpayer in these and other areas. As an added bonus, America will be a safer place to raise a family.

“Ending the ‘catch and release’ policy is a much needed band-aid yet it does not address the overwhelming problem posed by our wide open borders. It is baffling that Congress and the Bush administration continue to allow the situation at our porous borders to continue unabated.”

MCDC is conducting a month-long border watch program this October called “Secure Our Borders.” More than four thousand trained Minuteman volunteers will participate in non-confrontational border watch efforts on America''s northern and southern borders. Minutemen act as extra eyes and ears for the Border Patrol and will report directly to authorities any sightings of border crossings at other than legal ports of entry.

Yes, believe it or not, DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff today announced before the Senate Judiciary Committee that the Bush administration will end the outrageous "catch and release" policy for illegal border crossers determined to be "other than Mexicans."

Of course, they have also said they need further funding for detention bed space as they seek to reduce the standard detention time from 90 days to 45 days.

Might we suggest that DHS follow the same policy of the Maricopa County, AZ, Sheriff who houses prisoners in tent cities in the middle of the desert? It might not be very comfortable, but perhaps it will serve as another deterrent.

That said, if they SECURE the borders, we wouldn''t need ANY detention space.

Read about it here:

Chertoff vows to get tough on illegal migration: Homeland Security chief says it will end prevalent ‘catch and release'' policy

HQ MEDIA REPORT -- NUECES STRIP *SEE UPDATE BELOW*

10/15/05

We have a third generation (GEN3) night vision scope in service, on loan through the generosity of a former Delta Force operative. With 18 years of service, this Sergeant Major was cited as the longest continuous operative in the Delta Force at that time.

The GEN3 night vision scope is being used in the air. For the past three nights, we have had an air spotter. Three pilots take turns flying a 1943 Stinson L-5 airplane, which saw duty in Korea. Just the presence of an aircraft using a night scope deters movement. They also patrol during the day, looking for evidence of groups waiting to be escorted by a coyote or picked up by a transporter in a vehicle.

The pilots are a current airline pilot, a retired Air Force pilot, and a retired law enforcement officer. Pilot Grant Lannon said, “We spotted one guy on the property standing alone in black clothing, wandering along the fence, trying to figure out how to get to the highway rest stop. We kept him in sight and directed the Border Patrol and the Minutemen to him. The confused communications indicated that we had spotted one of our own security people, but it turned out that he was an illegal, and he was taken into custody. So we went from a very low point to a very high point in morale.”

Each time the spotter spots a traveler a sticker goes on the airplane. It has two stickers so far.

Area ranchers have contributed to the cost of operating the Stinson L-5. Aviation Gas (AVGAS) is $4/gallon, but this aircraft is rated to use hi-test automotive gas. So the pilots take gas cans to the filling station, fill up at $2.86/gallon, take it to the airport in the trunk of a car, and stand on a ladder over the wing to pour in the gas. The Minutemen will go to any effort to save money, so donate with confidence.

*UPDATE*

10/17/05

Three hours after the AM watch was secured, listening team Line 2-Post 6 stayed deployed for continued vigilance, consistent with most recent intel from BP & base. Watch record supported the projected early morning movement.

At 6:14 am, a large movement of suspected illegal immigrants approached the team’s placement at quick rate of speed. Team members concluded the group size to be 60. A quick decision was made to shine flashlights to stop the group from overrunning the small group of Minutemen. This action worked as projected. They fell back sixty yards and dropped down to a hold position to regroup and estimate our flashlight strength. We realized this temporary position would not be held long when they noted the size of our team. Maybe 10 minutes at best before we were in danger of being overrun.

Then, out of nowhere came the sweet, trusty sound of “SPOTTER,” our 1943 Stinson L-5 forward observer. Loud, low and right on time! The suspected illegal immigrants redirected their attention to the sky above. The group stayed tight and low to the deck as intended until the BP chopper and paddy wagons arrived for the dance! Suspects were collected and processed in a task that took an additional 90 minutes. “Spotter” and crew with a GEN 3 scope borrowed from a volunteer made the difference until enough daylight allowed BP to arrive and secure their end of the mission objective!

This is a perfect example of playing like we practice, and a perfect example of teamwork toward mission acquisition on the Nueces Strip.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

TEXAS MINUTEMEN PATROL BORDER FROM SKY

VINTAGE AIRPLANE, MODERN NIGHT VISION SCOPE AIDS BORDER PATROL IN APPREHENSIONS

FALFURRIAS, TX (October 18, 2005) – The Texas Minutemen have supplemented their successful border watches on the ground this month with night and day air patrols, aiding in the early morning apprehension of an estimated 60 suspected illegal immigrants by reporting the group to the Border Patrol.

Three pilots take turns flying a 1943 Stinson L-5 airplane that saw service in the Korean War. They are accompanied at night by a spotter using a GEN3 night vision scope. The volunteer pilots are a retired Air Force pilot, a current airline pilot and a retired law enforcement officer.

The sound and sight of the air patrols also acts as a deterrent to smugglers who would try to sneak their illegal cargo across the border. The night vision scope aids in spotting those who try to escape detection. The day patrols look for evidence of groups or illegal shipments cutting across private land or waiting there to be picked up by a transporter in a vehicle.

Area ranchers supportive of the Texas Minutemen have contributed to the cost of operating the Stinson L-5.

MCDC is conducting a month-long border watch program this October called “Secure Our Borders.” An estimated four thousand trained Minuteman volunteers will participate in non-confrontational border watch efforts on America''s northern and southern borders. Minutemen act as extra eyes and ears for the Border Patrol and will report directly to authorities any sightings of border crossings at other than legal ports of entry.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

MINUTEMEN URGE DECLARATION OF STATE OF EMERGENCY, CALL FOR IMMEDIATE NATIONAL GUARD MOBILIZATION

NATIONAL SECURITY AT STAKE

TOMBSTONE, AZ (October 18, 2005) – Chris Simcox, president of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps (“MCDC”), today urged Congress and the Bush administration to follow their Constitutional oaths to protect the country from foreign invasion and assault by securing our porous borders immediately.

Simcox issued the following statement on the occasion of the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on immigration today:

“For four long years after the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, President Bush and Congress have neglected to take serious measures to secure America’s borders from infiltration by terrorists, violent criminals, smugglers and traffickers in human misery. The bills being discussed today are concerned with appeasing every possible interest other than the security of this sovereign nation. The American people have woken up to the crisis on our borders—but it seems that Washington has not.

“Every year, millions of illegal aliens cross our borders—only a fraction of who are identified or apprehended. God only knows whether any terrorists carrying biological, chemical or nuclear agents have snuck into our country, because the federal government surely does not.

“Because of the failure of the federal government to secure the borders, governors of states that share their borders with Mexico have taken extraordinary measures to secure their citizens from the dangers posed by unlawful border crossers.

“The Minuteman Civil Defense Corps has recruited over 4,200 citizen volunteers to participate in its border watch patrols this month in states along both the northern and southern borders. These citizens are standing in the breach while Congress and the President play politics.

“A state of emergency needs to be declared on the borders and the National Guard deployed in sufficient numbers to stop the flood of illegal border crossings. To do anything less is to continue tempting fate with the lives of American citizens.”

MCDC is conducting a month-long border watch program this October called “Secure Our Borders.” More than four thousand trained Minuteman volunteers will participate in non-confrontational border watch efforts on America''s northern and southern borders. Minutemen act as extra eyes and ears for the Border Patrol and will report directly to authorities any sightings of border crossings at other than legal ports of entry.

For more information, please visit: http://www.MinutemanHQ.com

The Bangor Daily News reports Maine is set to get two new Border patrol stations next year.

Better late than never.

The Houston Chronicle has an article today on the problem of catch and release. An excerpt is below:

More than 47,600 illegal border crossers from "countries other than Mexico," so called OTMs, have been caught in South Texas this year. But 42,000, or more than 88 percent, have been promptly released and most have simply melted into society, failing to show up for required immigration court hearings, according to the Texas governor''s office.

Alarmed that OTMs from not only Central America but also such nations as Syria, Yemen and Iraq are being freed, Texas lawmakers last year demanded that the Bush administration do something.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry reiterated that concern last week when he unveiled a $9.7 million border security plan.

''''Al-Qaida leadership plans to use criminal alien smuggling organizations to bring terrorist operatives across the border into the U.S.," Perry warned. "There can be no homeland security in Texas without border security.''"

The article goes on to note some of the steps being taken to address the problems and the troubles of those on the other side of the border trying to sneak in.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

NEW VIDEO OF BORDER RESCUE BY MINUTEMEN TO BE AIRED TONIGHT

Tombstone, AZ (October 17, 2005) – Chris Simcox, president of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corp (“MCDC”), will unveil new video tonight of four illegal immigrants rescued by the Minutemen in the Arizona desert last week.

The four people were found parched and starving on the Arizona side of the border with Mexico in the Three Points area. They had been abandoned by their smugglers to die.

Minuteman Civil Defense Corps of Arizona volunteers came to their aid by offering them water and notifying the Border Patrol of their location and urgent need for medical attention.

The video demonstrates the inhumanity of the current border policies of the governments of Mexico and the United States and the value of the civilian border watch operations by the Minuteman volunteers.

Video of the rescue will be aired on Hannity & Colmes tonight on the Fox News Channel at 9 p.m. EDT.

The video will be available for broadcast upon request.

MCDC is conducting a month-long border watch program this October called “Secure Our Borders.” An estimated four thousand trained Minuteman volunteers will participate in non-confrontational border watch efforts on America''s northern and southern borders. Minutemen act as extra eyes and ears for the Border Patrol and will report directly to authorities any sightings of border crossings at other than legal ports of entry.

The Chicago Tribune reported in yesterday''s paper about the near riot by anti-Minuteman protesters outside the Chicago Minuteman Project''s conference in Arlington Heights, Illinois on Saturday:

The five people were arrested after they allegedly scuffled with police officers trying to remove about a dozen demonstrators blocking an entrance to the Christian Liberty Academy, where the Minuteman Project was meeting, Arlington Heights Police Sgt. Robert Murray said.

Some bottles and other objects were thrown at police during the clash, which erupted about 11 a.m., Murray said. About 20 officers on the scene called for assistance, prompting a rapid response that saw about 150 more officers from surrounding suburbs arrive to help end the disturbance.

The arrested were charged with resisting arrest and battery, both misdemeanors.

And our opponents dare call us vigilantes?

Protesters with the International Socialist Organization (ISO) in Derby Line, Vermont played ''spot the Minutemen'' last Saturday while the Minutemen patrolled the Vermont-Canada border keeping an eye out for illegal border crossings.

Burlington''s WCAX-TV 3 reported one protester excitedly saying, "I just saw this gray truck, they had the window down and these guys with video cameras, like, looking really suspicious. And the license plates were from Massachusetts and they had really right wing bumper stickers on the back."

We already know who the ISO believes the enemy to be: patriotic Americans. It''s just nice to see it reported in the news so others can see how extreme they are.

The Daily Bulletin of Los Angeles has a story today about the Minuteman Corp of California''s border watch and related issues.

An excerpt:

BOULEVARD - As the rain tumbled down on Highway 94 outside the Campo Indian Reservation on Sunday, the men and women of a volunteer group hoping to keep illegal immigrants from crossing the Mexican frontier huddled beneath camper awnings waiting for clear skies.

From a world-renowned scientist to housewives, the small group of diverse volunteers, known as the Minuteman Civilian Defense Corps, has spent the past two weeks monitoring the San Diego border with night-vision scopes and high-tech listening devices.

And they don''t plan on leaving until the federal government sends military personnel to secure the border and help the understaffed Border Patrol, they said.

"We''re not standing out here against migrants and human rights," said Tim Donnelly, from Twin Peaks, near Lake Arrowhead, who heads the California group of Minuteman volunteers. "The illegals say my needs, my desperation, overrides your voice and the Constitution. We are not racists; we are Americans trying to protect our borders from drug smugglers, human trafficking and terrorists. If our government isn''t going to do it, we will."

The complete article can be read at the title link.

Today is a bit somber in Cochise County as residents ponder the first anniversary of a senseless tragedy.

On the morning of October 16, 2004 a group of young coyotes tried the “high speed” approach to getting their illegal alien clientele north. This attempt ended twenty miles later when the driver lost control while trying to make a busy intersection at a speed estimated at 103 miles per hour. He ended up destroying his stolen truck and nine other vehicles, severely injuring 21 people – and killing six. Two of the dead and half the injured were local residents.

Nobody knows for sure how many illegals were in the bed of that truck; seventeen were caught, but people at the scene claim to have seen some disappear into the brush on the east side of the road. It was of little concern as there were a couple of dozen casualties in need of immediate care. Helicopters arrived from all over this end of the state; the nearest trauma center is seventy miles away in Tucson. Many victims were flown directly from the accident site to Tucson; others had to be stabilized first at Sierra Vista Community Health Center. A few ended up 200 miles away in Phoenix as Tucson reached its treatment capacity. Sierra Vista took care of an unspecified large number of victims with lesser injuries.

A year later, many here still look back with bitterness at this tragedy – not just at the deaths and shattered lives, but at the non-existent response by anyone in our State or Federal government or the media. The incident did rate a couple of paragraphs in the Tucson and Phoenix newspapers, but that was the end of any public awareness or reaction at the time. In hindsight, a story about dead and severely injured Americans with an illegal alien twist mixed into it would not have been considered politically acceptable just three weeks before the 2004 elections.

The wheels of justice are finally beginning to turn. The surviving aliens fingered the driver, co-driver, and the two coyotes who led them from Mexico. All four are jailed in Tucson awaiting trial next month. For unknown reasons, Federal prosecutors decided not to seek the death penalty, but all four face 60 to 75 year prison sentences.

Buenos nachos, muchachos. After nearly a year long hiatus with the Minuteman Project, Uncle JackelopeBreeder has returned to writing ridiculous screeds about the Illegal Alien Trails.

What follows in this blogspace will take many forms. Part will be local operational reports on the Minutemen and similar groups; part will be observations on actions by the Border Patrol; sometimes it will be a composite analysis based on several years experience as a mean-spirited-and-divisive-loco-gringo-armed-terrorist-vigilante-cucaracha here on the Arizona – Mexico border. Other times it may just be up-to-the-minute incoherent howling about stuff I see happening every day and night.

Allow me to also introduce one Luis Martinez, lately of the Mexican state of Puebla just southeast of Mexico City. I adopted Luis as my alter ego after coming into possession of his birth certificate and a few other personal documents and belongings he abandoned here in Cochise County, Arizona. I won’t call Luis a litter bug; a 200 pound kitty cat walked through the lay-up area in Hunter Canyon where he and about three dozen new friends were waiting for a ride north. His backpack was the least of his worries at that moment. Luis will serve as spokesman for a few friends south of the border who share what they know about how things work with the smugglers. For obvious reasons, they wouldn’t want me to directly quote them in print.

Little of the real story here on the border shows up in the media. Cochise County is larger than Connecticutt and Rhode Island combined, but we only have a few newspaper reporters (mostly part-time stringers) and no local TV stations. Reporting on incidents happening here tends to be shallow and haphazard – McNews at best. In many instances the stories are never published for fear of being politically incorrect.

I hope to remedy part of that with this blog, so watch this space. At the very least, I hope to put a human face on this problem -- one that our "leaders" will find hard to ignore.

To my fellow MMP members, keep those reports and photos coming in to headquarters so they can be posted. It''s great seeing familiar faces from past operations. I feel honored and privileged to have met so many of you.

In the meantime, it is a Saturday night with what looks like a nearly full moon – time to go inconvenience the turistas sin visas crowd.

The Brownsville Herald reported today that the Brooks County commissioners passed a resolution this week condemning the Minutemen. Brooks County is home to our Falfurrias field headquarters in Texas.

A copy of the resolution is posted at the Brooks County Democratic Party website. It can be read here (PDF file)

Texas Minuteman president Al Garza is quoted as saying in response,"We’re not going to leave until the laws are enforced there."

The Seattle Times reported yesterday on the Bellingham City Council passing a resolution condemning the Minutemen for their border watch patrols on the Canada-Washington state border.

The council voted to denounce the Minutemen without even meeting them or coming out to see their operations. They based their resolution and votes on inflammatory hearsay, newspaper articles and internet postings.

One City Council member was quoted in The Times falsely accusing the Minutemen of "violence and racism."

We trust you''re offended and outraged as much as we are about her scurrilous statement.

The Washington State Democratic Central Committee passed a resolution against the Minutemen on September 17, 2005. The resolution is extremely similar to the one passed by the Bellingham City Council--what a coincidence!

The resolution passed by the Washington State Democratic Party can be read here (PDF file).

The text of the Bellingham City Council resolution is posted below:

RESOLUTION IN OPPOSITION TO BORDER MILITIA GROUPS

WHEREAS, a just society that respects the civil rights of all people should be the goal of all Whatcom County residents, and

WHEREAS, the Bellingham City Council works to uphold and protect human and civil rights, and is committed to including and representing all people, and

WHEREAS, the activities of self-appointed militia or vigilante groups or individuals with limited training and no legal authority present a potential danger to the safety and well-being of society and all members of that society who might become the victims or inadvertent targets of such activities, and

WHEREAS, the existence and activities of vigilante groups or individuals in other regions have created fear, an atmosphere of racism and violence, and increased suspicion, intolerance and even hate in those regions,

WHEREAS, the presence of vigilante border militia groups, such as the Minutemen''s operation on our nation''s northern and southern borders, can create a negative image for our region and harm our local economy as occurred in the State of Idaho, and

WHEREAS, Whatcom County, the State of Washington and the U.S Government all have policies that are opposed to the casual use of ad hoc Militia groups to replace or augment the duties of duly authorized law enforcement organizations, and that such unregulated, undisciplined and untrained militia groups acting without adequate supervision and training are known to have adversely impacted the lives and liberties of citizens and other civilians in the U.S.,

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BELLINGHAM, that the Bellingham City Council opposes any effort to deputize, commission, finance, or otherwise encourage the presence of self-appointed vigilante groups or individuals within the County who might take into their own hands the legal authority vested in our law enforcement officials and those of the federal and state governments, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Bellingham City Council expresses once again its absolute commitment to a safe and secure environment where individual civil rights are respected by all.

The Washington Post published a letter to the editor today from Minuteman Civil Defense Corps President Chris Simcox.

Chris wrote to rebut a letter from a detractor published earlier in the week in The Post that claimed border watch groups aren''t gaining support.

Chris set the record straight as far as MCDC is concerned.

Minutemen in Vermont kept a low profile today on their border watch along the northern border.

Frustrating protesters and the media alike, about a dozen Minuteman volunteers spent the day doing what they came to do: keep an eye on the border for illegal crossings.

A sharp-eyed reporter for the Associated Press ran into Minuteman Greg LeMay of Long Island, NY, at a Vermont shopping plaza.

LeMay is quoted explaining the group''s reasons for avoiding the spotlight:"We''re nonconfrontational. What''s the sense in picking a fight? ... We''re here to spot any illegal activity. It''s really no different from a community watch."

The AP reports that bored protesters on the Vermont and Canadian sides of the border at Derby Line and Stansted, Quebec kicked a ball back and forth across the border until a Vermont state trooper took the ball away.

FRIDAY, October 14. ROOKIE “MINUTE(WO)MEN” BECOME OUR OWN NAVAJO CODE TALKERS!

This story is hilarious! We pray that the majority of our constituency takes it in the humorous manner in which it is intended.

The Minutemen Civil Defense Corps of Nueces Strip is so excited that several volunteers learned that this is a great place for patriotic Americans. They went home and returned, bringing their wives.

Two such “better halves” went out on the line with their hubbies Thursday night to man the same post. The ladies noticed a flashing red light in a grove of trees, giving signals that appeared to correlate to the vehicular and foot traffic in the area. But would their men believe them? I’ll let you guess.

Alert MCDC volunteers on this line observed 14 illegal aliens. While this was transpiring, the CDC wives were decoding the signals in the trees. A signal toward the woods told the travelers to move toward the highway. Then a signal toward the rest area called a transporter to start moving north toward the travelers. This minimized the loitering and circling that calls attention to pickups. Given this information, the men took notice.

By midnight, the Falfurrias Border Patrol picked up 13 of the 14 illegals. The men of the MCDC attempted to give a convincing report about the signal light in the grove. But it was our men’s turn to be taken with a grain of salt - they reaped what they sowed.

A couple of MCDC rovers gathered in the groves, finally stopping under the treed signalman. This put a crimp in his activity, but they had no authority to detain him. They attempted to get the Border Patrol to return for the man up in the tree. But the Border Patrol was either unconvinced or occupied elsewhere, and the signalman got away.

Perhaps if the two women had been under him, the signalman might have chosen to stay up in the tree.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

New Mexico Minuteman rescues mother and infant from exposure

Hachita, New Mexico (October 15, 2005) – A New Mexico Minuteman rescued an illegal immigrant mother and her infant who were in distress from the cold during the early morning hours of Thursday, October 13, 2005 on State Road 9, between Hachita and Columbus, New Mexico. Minuteman Daryl Olson was conducting routine border surveillance operations when he was approached by a distraught mother and her infant around 1:40 AM.

The mother, a citizen of Mexico who had illegally crossed the U.S./Mexican border with her infant earlier that evening, became panicked with concern for her baby as nighttime temperatures dropped lower than she had expected, into the 40s. Thunderstorms approaching from the east threatened to soak the area in bitter-cold rain and hail. Desperate for shelter from the cold, she noticed and approached a Minuteman vehicle and appealed for assistance.

The mother urgently indicated that she desired to enter Olson’s vehicle to protect her infant from exposure. Olson, in spite of his impulse to immediately bring her into his car, was unable to do so because of the Minutemen’s standard operational procedure. Minuteman doctrine, which strictly prohibits any contact between illegal immigrants and Minutemen with the exception of ‘”in extremis” for lifesaving intervention, restricted Olson from allowing the mother into his vehicle.

Olson advised his headquarters of the situation by radio and was advised that a Border Patrol unit would arrive in approximately seven minutes. Olson then indicated to the mother that assistance would arrive in seven minutes; this assurance calmed her immediately. Olson then offered her a bottle of water, which she drank from right away.

The Border Patrol unit promptly arrived and took the mother and her infant into custody. The mother said “muchas gracias!” over her shoulder to Olson as she was led away to the Border Patrol vehicle.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

MINUTEMAN CO-FOUNDERS CHRIS SIMCOX & JIM GILCHRIST TO HAVE RARE JOINT APPEARANCE

When: 11 A.M. Sunday, October 16, 2005
Where: Field HQ, Minuteman Corps of California
Outdoor World Retreat
37133 Hwy 94
Boulevard, Ca 91905

TOMBSTONE, AZ (October 14, 2005) – Chris Simcox, founder of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps and Jim Gilchrist, founder of the Minuteman Project will have a rare joint appearance this Sunday, October 16, 2005, at the field headquarters for the Minuteman Corps of California in Boulevard, Ca. This appearance at the field headquarters will be the first time this location has been open to the media.

A trip to the ongoing border watch operation near Jacumba will follow the availability.

The two leaders of the Minuteman movement will speak about the success of the ongoing “Secure Our Borders” operation in 12 states on the northern and southern borders and the effect the Minutemen are having on government at all levels.

Simcox, 45, is president of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps. He is a former owner and publisher of The Tombstone Tumbleweed. He has a degree in Human Development and Early Childhood Education and spent 13 years as a teacher in Los Angeles. During his tenure as a teacher, Simcox chaired the Diversity committee at Wildwood Elementary School. Under the direction of Louise Derman-Sparks, Simcox studied anti-bias curriculum, a cultural and gender-sensitive approach to education.

Gilchrist, 56, is president of the Minuteman Project. He served in the Marine Corps during Vietnam where he earned a Purple Heart. He has worked as a newspaper reporter and as a CPA. He holds a B.A. in newspaper journalism, a B.S. in business administration and an M.B.A. in taxation. He is currently engaged in a run-off in the special election for the House of Representatives seat vacated by Chris Cox in California’s 48th District.

NOTE: The location of this media availability is on private property. Only press with valid credentials from legitimate news organizations will gain admittance.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

SENATE MAJORITY LEADER FRIST COMMENDS MINUTEMEN BORDER WATCH EFFORTS; CALLS FOR BORDER SECURITY TO BE PRIORITY

MINUTEMEN URGE NATIONAL GUARD BE SENT TO SECURE BORDER

TOMBSTONE, AZ (October 14, 2005) – Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, in an interview with The Washington Times after he took an aerial tour of the Texas-Mexico border with Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, said he was “ … left with a very positive attitude about [the Minutemen] … ,” after asking about people’s impression of them on his border tour.

Dr. Frist, who did not meet with the Minutemen on his tour, added he had been told the Minutemen, “ … were filling a gap that needs to be filled … ,” on the border.

Dr. Frist also said that he will make both border security and interior immigration enforcement priorities in the Senate over immigration reform and guest worker proposals.

Chris Simcox, President of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps (“MCDC”) welcomed Dr. Frist’s priorities in the following statement:

“Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist’s statement making border security a priority in the Senate should be supported by all United States Senators and the Bush administration. Our national security has been put at great risk by the conditions at our borders. For far too long after the terror attacks of September 11th, the federal government has played
a game of chance with the security of the American people.

“Dr. Frist needs to go further, though. This country cannot wait for border security legislation to be passed ‘sometime next year.’ In addition to the terrorist threat, our fellow citizens are victimized daily by violent criminals, smugglers, gangs and drug cartels while immigrants seeking a better life risk death in the desert and barbaric exploitation by human traffickers. The crisis on the border needs to be addressed right now. The Senate and the House of Representatives should pass legislation, and override a veto if President Bush refuses to sign it, mandating the National Guard be placed at the borders immediately and remain there until the borders are secured and the Border Patrol and Immigration Control are sufficiently staffed and funded to keep them secure.

“With our borders having been compromised by over five million illegal crossings since September 11th, it is by the grace of God that we have not been attacked on the homeland again. But the Lord helps those who helps themselves, and America needs to help itself on the borders before we are attacked again.”

MCDC is conducting a month-long border watch program this October called “Secure Our Borders.” An estimated four thousand trained Minuteman volunteers will participate in non-confrontational border watch efforts on America''s northern and southern borders. Minutemen act as extra eyes and ears for the Border Patrol and will report directly to authorities any sightings of border crossings at other than legal ports of entry.

I just returned from a week on the Mexican border with the New Mexico Minuteman Project. Based in Hachita, the New Mexico Minutemen, aided by volunteers from all over the country-- Washington state to Georgia, Alabama to Pennsylvania and Florida to California-- spend their time broiling by day and freezing by night trying to assist a Border Patrol whose leaders do not want their help. I led a three man recon team from Alabama but this is not about our story, it is about theirs.

Hachita was chosen by the Minutemen because it lies at the junction of Routes 9 and 81 and is the freeway interchange for most of the human and drug smuggling in New Mexico. The Border Patrol maintains a daylight crossing point at Antelope Wells further to the south on 81. Once across the border, this road leads to Mexican Route 2 and Chihuahua State. Route 2 more or less parallels the border as it swings through Little Nogales and Janos before ending at Ciudad Juarez, opposite El Paso. As far as New Mexico is concerned it is the lower nexus of the Ho Chi Minh trail, with all the traffic headed north this time.

The country here is one of savage beauty and frankly alien to this Alabama boy''s eyes. Volcanic mountains jut starkly up from a plain that is already a mile above sea level. The Big Hatchet mountains tower some 8440 feet. It is a harsh land where contact with every bush can draw blood from the unwary and where some of the vegetation seems to have leapt from the drawing pad of Dr. Seuss. It is a land of rattlesnakes, Gila monsters, scorpions and tarantulas. The first day we were there, the ambient temperature on our Blazer''s dash readout was 90 degrees. That night it got down to 45.

As far as volunteers go, the Minutemen weren''t much to look at. Just average folks of the kind you might see at a ball game anywhere. The oldest fellow I met was a Navy radio operator in WWII, flying PBM patrol planes. Now this Georgian was back for one more war because his country needed him.

And it is a war, make no mistake. Most people who admit there is a "War on Drugs" shrink from applying the same terms to illegal immigration, but the two are indissolubly linked. The old Miami Vice model of huge shipments of dope hardly obtains anymore. The risks to the cartels of seizure are too great. Nowadays, they count on thousands upon thousands of lowly mules who filter across our border. Once they make their drops, they are free to continue on into the land of plenty. No, there is nothing benign about illegal immigration.

The locals, those who do not make a living profiting from this trade, live in a state of suspended fear. If they keep their heads down and their mouths shut, the contrabandistas will allow them to live. If they do not, their cattle turn up dead, their stock ponds poisoned, their houses and barns burned. Still there are the quietly courageous who support the Minutemen openly and dare the contrabandistas to do anything about it.

As for the volunteers, there is little to recommend Hachita as a vacation spot. On vigil by night, freezing despite thermal underwear, they fall exhausted into Korean War vintage tents for a couple hours sleep before the baking sun awakens them and they are forced to flee their cots. For those of us who slept on the concrete floor of the somewhat cooler Hachita Community Center, we had to share it with tarantulas and deadly scorpions, forcing us to check our bedrolls and boots morning and night.

Numbering only a few dozen, in the first five days we were only credited by the Border Patrol with 8 capture assists, a mere fraction of the traffic we knew from local knowledge was passing through here. For all of the misery the Minutemen suffered in accomplishing it, it seemed like a pitiful payback. A few grew discouraged and left. But as time went on we noticed something: none of our captures were occuring at night during our line operations, all had been chance encounters during the day. And we noticed something else: wherever we would set up, the Border Patrol would set up in front of us, and the Mexican Federales would set up in front of them on their side of the border. It was as if both governments were telling the contrabandistas "Minutemen here, do not cross." This impression was solidified in my mind on the last night line operation the Alabama team participated in. Just after dark, a Border Patrol vehicle came down the fence line with its brights on and highlighted our camouflaged position. Shortly thereafter, my assistant team leader with excellent Generation 3 night vision spotted an infrared strobe marking our position several hundred yards in advance of our line. All night long, on both sides of the border, the forces of the US and Mexican governments displayed flashing lights so that anyone would know not to come through there,

Frustrating? Yes. But then it began to dawn on some of us: we few dozen volunteers were forcing the governments of two nations (as well as the minions of the largest economic enterprise on the planet) to dance to OUR tune. With this knowledge, we began to tailor our operations to take advantage of that fact. And while I am back in Alabama, the Minutemen volunteers are still interdicting that part of the border, mindful of their new power to call the tune.

History, for good or ill, is made by determined minorities. Never was that truer than among that small band of New Mexico Minutemen. They were dirty, unshaven and exhausted on their best day. They didn''t look like much more than a small convention of the homeless. But by their presence and their gritty determination they were calling the shots on the border. They were pitiful, they were magnificent. I am proud to have known them and to have served with them. And if we can find more of their kind, we just might be able to save the country.

Mike Vanderboegh
Alabama Minuteman Support Team
www.amist.us
PO Box 926
Pinson, AL 35126
GeorgeMason1776@aol.com

Fresh out of email, these just in! Looks like the Washington State Minutemen have a great setup!

From the Desk of Chris Simcox President Minuteman Civil Defense Corps

To all of the Minutemen and our supporters:

It is my distinct honor to thank you all for your unselfish sacrifices on behalf of this country by your participation in the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps effort to secure our borders. It is indeed a privilege for me to be associated with such fine Americans as yourselves.

This nation suffers a great risk to our national security a full four years after the outrageous attacks on September 11, 2001, by radical Islamist terrorists – a wide open border across which any number of terrorists may cross undetected, transporting chemical, biological and even nuclear materials. This is an entirely unacceptable level of national security risk.

The response from the President and Congress has been wholly inadequate and is outrageous in its own right. Politics should never come before the security of this nation and her citizens. It is imperative that we secure our borders now, first, before any political squabbling over what is to be done with those millions who have already entered this country by illegal means. These are two entirely separate issues.

We have been successful as an inhibitor to illegal trespass in every area we have deployed. We have assisted in captures by reporting to Border Patrol sightings by the hundreds so far of those who do try to cross the borders in our areas. Further, we have raised a national awareness of the lawless and out-of-control situation at this nation’s borders, forcing governments at the state and national levels to address this national security risk. Thanks to all of you, we have done well!

It is in the fine tradition of America’s Minutemen that you have heeded this nation’s call to protect our citizenry from those who wish to exploit our society, based upon freedom and liberty, to do this nation great harm. I am honored and humbled by the level of participation and the dedication so many of you have made for the Minuteman efforts.

Sincerely,

Chris Simcox
President
Minuteman Civil Defense Corps

The Watertown Daily Times in upstate New York has an article today about the upcoming Secure Our Borders efforts by the New York Minutemen.

Give it a read and leave a message for the New York volunteers.

Sorry to get wonky on everybody, but here''s where the rubber meets the road with securing our borders. In order for Congress to fix the situation, one thing they need to address is the abysmal ''catch and release'' policy.

GovExec.com has an article about a report by the Congressional Research Service that studied the issue of expanding the federal government''s authority to detain and expel without review illegal immigrants who meet certain criteria.

GovExec.com reports that currently the policy applies to illegal immigrants at ports of entry and those found within 100 miles of the Southwest border who cannot prove they have been here more than fourteen days.

GovExec.com also reports that the Homeland Security Department recently broadened the policy to all sectors on the Southwest and Northern borders.

The twenty-three page Congressional Research Service report can be read here (PDF file.)

As with any government program, there are pros and cons, bureaucracy and expenses, and concerns about civil rights.

Read the report and see what you think.

Bear in mind that if the federal government secured the border, most of this would be unnecessary.

Minuteman Corps of California (MCC) has had over 175 participants since October 1st, heavy on weekends, and much lighter during the weekdays. We have enough to man our line, but not as many as we would like. We aided Border Patrol in 6 confirmed apprehensions; with a report on another 6 outcome unknown.

Funny thing, I was driving to the line, running a little late when I spotted a group of 5 crossing a ranch and running toward Hwy 8, about 3 miles west of a Border Patrol checkpoint.

I put the call out on the radio & waited by the side of the road approximately. 1/2 mile from the location where they crossed they highway. I watched in my rearview mirror to see if they crossed the westbound lanes. Perhaps not wanting to scale the sheer cliff on the other side of the westbound lanes, they re-crossed the eastbound lanes just in time for Border Patrol to pull up and offer a lift.

Fox News was trailing behind me in traffic & saw the whole thing & mentioned it on air all day while they were on our line.

One more affirmation of the SOP.

The rumor about the Mexican National Guard planning to conduct exercises south of our position turned out to be just that: a rumor. About 30 to 40 protesters showed up on both sides of the border.

We kept everyone on our line sitting down under their shade tents or standing behind them. This effectively de-escalated a potentially violent situation. It was our intent to expose them as the aggressors to any and all cameras present, and it worked. This strategy in combination with the presence of Law Enforcement, defused a potentially volatile situation.

That same day, Jim Gilchrist came down, manned a post and brought supplies and lunch for all the minutemen on the line.

Chock up another point for the SOP.

Another incident occurred on Sunday, Oct 9th that was worthy of note. A small contingent of protesters showed up at about 2 PM including Gente Unida, Angels of the Desert, and some anarchists. What was particularly interesting was a blue pickup truck that drove slowly down our line with no license plate, flying the Confederate Flag from their aerial. The skinheads driving the truck tried to park close to the minutemen, but never succeeded in infiltrating our ranks. A few of the protesters pointed at the vehicle, saying, "see the minutemen are racists." It was a very pathetic attempt to smear us and it failed.

We are operating our day line in O''neill Valley, where we have been very effective at getting a little news out each day, albeit to local print reporters, but on Saturday, we did have Fox News on Saturday shooting live shots, and Canadian Television also came down.

The Minuteman Corps of California is staging out of a campground called OUTDOOR WORLD in Boulevard, CA. The owner, Dimitri, is a legal immigrant and a huge supporter of the Minutemen. He has 183 acres, and owns the access road off the main highway so the protesters cannot get anywhere near us. He has offered a special rate for Minutemen, and has given us the use of his conference center for training sessions.

We were treated to a full Italian dinner on two nights due to the culinary expertise of one of our leader''s wives, who cooks from her heart. It was a wonderful way to unwind and get to know one another after a long day on the line.

Of particular note:

We have a minuteman in our midst who is famous in his own right. Dr. Johan Hultin, is a world-renowned pathologist, credited in 1949 with discovering a corpse as a young researcher in the Alaskan wilderness who died of the 1918 Spanish Flu (now recognized as avian flu). Almost 50 years later, he went back to retrieve the tissue sample used to recreate the deadly virus in order to develop a vaccine for the current version of the avian flu. This week he has been interviewed by dozens of reporters, and he has told every single one of them that he is a minuteman. We are proud to have him in our ranks.

Dr. Hultin was recently profiled in The Des Moines Register.

We also have a man named Greg Sheehan, who flew out all the way from Altoona, Pennsylvannia to join our border watch. He carries with him a heavy burden: telling the horrific tale of a triple homicide to all who will listen. Greg is a soft-spoken minuteman who is as humble as he is tall. Here is his story:

In late August of this year "Miguel Padilla, the alleged killer, attacked Alfred Mignogna, a local businessman, Fred Rickabaugh, a worker at the veterans club, and Stephen Heiss, a Marine veteran, and killed them in cold blood. Stephen had just returned home from serving in Iraq and jumped in front of his fiancée taking the bullet that otherwise would have ended her life and instead took his. It is terrible enough when a murder occurs, but to have it happen by someone who should not have been here adds to the despair.

Padilla had been living in the US illegally for fifteen years, had a driver''s license, a registered car, graduated from Penn-Cambria High School and has been arrested twice before for assault with a knife and illegal possession of a gun.

"This is an example that happens far too often in our country. When police had Padilla in custody during these arrests they contacted Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ICE did nothing and they have no answers to this day. Three murders could have been prevented. It is outrageous for Padilla to go unnoticed in our country for that long, especially with prior arrests. It is hard enough to find illegal aliens, but when they are handed over to federal authorities action needs to be taken" this according to Congressman Bill Shuster of Pennsylvania.

Greg Sheehan needed to do something. He had heard of the Minutemen a year earlier and joined their April watch in Arizona. This week Sheehan and a local CBS television crew travel to East San Diego County to help secure a portion of America''s borders hoping to prevent another Padilla from entering illegally.

"Greg is but one of thousands of volunteers nationwide that have been personally touched this national crisis. Having thousands of unknown individuals enter our country each day is an unacceptable risk after 9/11," said Tim Donnelly, Leader of the Minuteman Corps of California.

We can always use a few more good men and women. Please register at http://www.minutemanhq.com/hq/ or call us at 619-407-7073.

Godspeed.

Tim Donnelly Leader, Minuteman Corps of California

Minuteman Civil Defense Corp - Incident Report

Area: Falfurrias Texas
Date: Tuesday, October 11, 2005
Location: Line 3 – Post 9

At 21:30 a Minuteman volunteer, using Generation III Night Vision (GEN-III NV) was scanning for activity to the SE while three other Minutemen were scanning South at a suspected entry area. Light activity was spotted by the Minuteman around a tree approximately 500 yards SE (145°) of his post via the GEN-III NV at 21:35 and later at 21:40. The Minuteman radioed the nearest post on his Line 3 at Post 4 to inquire if anyone at Post 4 had seen the light and checked if they were using Infrared (IR) Illumination towards that tree. Neither was the case so the Minuteman volunteer asked Post 4 to watch to their South for the light.

The Minuteman then asked two others to monitor that same tree to the SE and one of the others also saw the lights with a GEN-I NV. It was at that time one of the others was able to see the light without NV and then we knew it was a visible flash light rather than an IR source used with NV. While GEN-III NV was handed back and forth between two of the Minutemen, both noticed two individuals moving from the tree with the light activity onto a freshly mowed sunflower field that the landowner had shredded just before sunset that day. The Minutemen counted four (4) individuals moving towards them at a distance of around 300-400 yards at 22:00. The image was clear enough to see them walking upright and one Minuteman could see the spaces between their legs as they walked.

It was at this point the Minuteman walked back up the hill for better radio reception and called Post 4 at 22:10 to help him relay the message to Base that we have spotted and confirmed 4 individuals moving from the SE towards our Post 9. The Minuteman was informed that Border Control (BP) was on the way. He kept in radio communication with the other Minuteman back at Post 9 observation location who was constantly monitoring and counting the individuals. As the first BP officer showed up with lights out at 22:15, the Minuteman met the officer, quickly introduced himself as a MCDC Minuteman volunteer and gave the officer a count of individuals, their heading of SE (145°) and their distance of approximately 300 yards. BP officer then walked directly to the specified location of the individuals and Minuteman rejoined the other two Minutemen back at the Post 9 observation point.

One of the Post 9 Minutemen informed the others that the individual count had grown to 6 and that they were starting to hide in the uncut section of the field and along small groups of trees. They then observed with the GEN-III NV the BP officer walking to the North of the hidden group missing them by only 100 yards. The Minuteman then saw that the BP office was using only a lower level GEN-II or even GEN-I NV since he was using IR illumination that projected less then 25 yards.

This is when the Minutemen realized that the BP officer would not be able to see the hidden group and we could not radio him to direct him to their hidden locations since we do not have common radio communications with the BP.

Then at around 22:20 a second BP officer (BP#2) arrived back at the road, the Minuteman met him and this time brought him directly back to our Post 9 observation point. They then pointed out the individual’s hidden location and handed BP#2 our GEN-III NV for him to see them.

BP#2 said, “WOW! You can see everything with this! This is incredible!” The Minutemen were surprised to hear this and it became obvious that at least these BP officers do not have access to GEN-III NV to do their dangerous and critical jobs which is an abomination.

BP#2 then headed out directly to their hidden location and again walked right past them. After BP#2 had walked 200 yards a Minuteman saw an individual crawl from left of the mowed field to the right brush less then 100 yards BEHIND the BP#2 officer. Then a Minuteman observed another running in a swatch again behind the BP#2 from right to left. The Minuteman went back up the hill to radio Base and Post 4 to inform BP headquarters to radio the BP#2 officer that the individuals are passing and crawling behind him.

BP#1 officer gave up his search around 22:35, telling us he found nothing, and then left. BP#2 drove around with the spot light searching the fields but not one was found. BP#2 then came back by our position informing us he never saw a thing, but told us if we see then again to call and they will return. BP#2 said he had another call to attend to so we thanked him for his service to our country and he left around 22:45.

For the next hour from 23:00 to 00:00 the Minutemen noticed at least one individual hiding near the brush and then migrating back to the SE. At around 2AM two Minutemen saw flashlight activity again well over 1000 yards away near trees to the SE (150°). It is thought that the scatter group retreated to the SE and regrouped at the farther tree to wait us out for another attempt to migrate North.

We radioed Post 4 to watch for them to their South. The operation ended at 02:30 so we packed up and went back to base.

What We Learned:

Next time we have a sighting with GEN-III NV and the BP show up stealth, we need to bring the BP officer FIRST to our observation point and hand them our high performance NV device. This will enable the BP to actually see what we are seeing and exactly where we are seeing it. Then the BP will really believe we are observing actual migrant activity, have an accurate headcount, location, and landscape reference point to proceed with apprehension.

We could even go farther by temporary loaning him the equipment after noting his name and/or BP badge number so he can use it for the capture.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MINUTEMEN SUPPORT TEXAS GOVERNOR PERRY’S CALL FOR BORDER TO BE DESIGNATED
HIGH-THREAT AREA

TOMBSTONE, AZ (October12, 2005) Chris Simcox, President of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps (“MCDC”) today expressed his support and appreciation of Texas Governor Rick Perry’s call for the federal government to designate the border a high threat area, and encouragement for his border security plan announced earlier today.

With this proposal, Gov. Perry demonstrates the seriousness of mind that has been lacking in our nation’s capital by leaders of both parties with regard to the national security issues and human rights violations at the border.

Simcox issued the following statement in response to the Governor’s announcement:

“Gov. Perry’s plan should serve as a wake up call to President Bush from his fellow Texas Republican. It is a disgrace that four years after the terror attacks of September 11th our borders are wide open to anyone who wishes to do our country great harm.

“As a result of actions by Minuteman citizen volunteers, governments at the state and federal level have been forced to acknowledge the crisis on our border. We agree with Gov. Perry’s statement that, ‘… the State of Texas cannot wait for the federal government to implement needed border security measures.’

“New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, having declared states of emergencies on their respective borders but failing to follow up with effective action, would do well to emulate Gov. Perry’s plan.

“As heartened as we are by Gov. Perry’s proposal, it will take time to implement and will fall short if the federal government continues to fail to do its job. The Minutemen will continue to serve on the border until such time as the border is secure.”

MCDC is conducting a month-long border watch program this October called “Secure Our Borders.” An estimated four thousand trained Minuteman volunteers will participate in non-confrontational border watch efforts on America''s northern and southern borders. Minutemen act as extra eyes and ears for the Border Patrol and will report directly to authorities any sightings of border crossings at other than legal ports of entry.

To read Gov. Perry’s proposal, please visit his website: http://www.governor.state.tx.gov

For more information, please visit our website: http://www.MinutemanHQ.com

Being that this was posted as an open letter to the Minutemen, we''re sure they won''t mind us posting their statement in its entirety.

Anti-Immigrant Minutemen are Unwelcome in Vermont

An open letter to the Minutemen organization from the Second Vermont Republic and the Green Mountain Anarchist Collective. The Minutemen are a right-wing, anti-immigrant organization based outside of Vermont. They Currently plan on "patrolling" our northern boarder of Vermont at Derby Line on October 15th. We, the people of Vermont and allies, will be there to make sure they know they are not welcome.

On October 15th, come join people from across Vermont and beyond to to make sure your voice is heard! We will meet at the Town Common at 12 noon and will be prepared to stay till dusk.

For more information contact the Green Mountain Anarchist Collective at: greencollective@chek.com

October 12th, 2005

"I am a hardy mountaineer and scorn to be intimidated by threats."
-Ethan Allen

Minutemen,

Let it be known that you are not welcome in the Green Mountains of Vermont. You
are outsiders and you have not been invited. We have no interests in granting
authority to outsiders over the regulation of our northern lands!

Vermont’s northern boarder has a long history of openness and flux. Today, tens of thousands of Vermonters, especially in the north, trace their roots to ancestors who called themselves Quebecois and Abenaki. Those that decided to stay and make the Green Mountains their home decided to do so in the spirit of justice, fair mindedness and freedom. Exemplary of this sentiment was the establishment and maintenance of the Underground Railroad. Vermonters decided how to manage their border without allowing those with no ties to this land to alter our perceptions of how our land is to be used.

We Vermonters, who believe in our right to determine the policies and actions that will be pursued on our land, resent the encroachment on and usurpation of our democratic power by an overbearing federal government in their growing manipulation of its laws over our citizens, ie. checkpoints, not at international boarders but within our state. We same Vermonters recognize you, the Minutemen, as foot soldiers of the far right. We recognize your alliance with neo-nazi organizations such as the National Alliance and we will do what is necessary to uphold our long held view that Vermonters know what is best for Vermont and we do not accept the inclusion of your radical anti-immigrant ideology rooted in your racist world view in our Green Mountains. We the Vermonter; the Quebecois, the Abenaki and the sons and daughters of Ethan Allen, birthed in the spirit of self-determination, direct democracy, and self-governance have determined: We don’t want you and your ilk in our mountains.

Joint Statement of
Thomas H. Nylor, Founder of The Second Vermont Republic
and The Green Mountain Anarchist Collective, NEFAC

The Second Vermont Republic
P.O. Box 1093
Montpelier, VT 05601
info@vermontrepublic.org

The Green Mountain Anarchist Collective
GMAC
PO Box 76
Montpelier, Vermont 05602
Email: greencollective@chek.com

Once more, we''re not racists. We have nothing to do with neo-nazis or any other racist groups. But it suits the agenda of the radical left to lie about those who oppose their whackjob politics.

The anarchist-communists are free to peacefully exercise their First Amendment rights and demonstrate to the public their support of an ideology that murdered over 100 million people in the 20th Century.

We''ll be standing up for the country that liberated hundreds of millions of people while we work to keep it secure by highlighting the need for heightened security on our borders.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tx) was reported by KFOX-TV in El Paso as saying the following:

"Security is important, but I believe no matter what the good intentions may be of civilian volunteers that this is not a job for volunteers. This is a job for trained professionals and that''s why I have proposed that we increase the number of Border Patrol and trained professionals to help with border security."

We agree, Sen. Cornyn. When the federal government secures the border, the Minutemen will stand down. Until then, we''ll be on the border doing what Congress and the President have failed to do so far.

The Texas newspaper The Del Rio News Herald reported today on a fact finding visit to the border by U.S. Rep. John Culberson (R-TX) with Val Verde County Sheriff A. D''Wayne Jernigan.

Rep. Culberson proposed a bill last July with 54 co-sponsors that would authorize and fund states with international borders to raise, train and equip civilian militias dedicated to supplementing the federal government''s duties stopping illegal border crossings.

Sheriff Jernigan, who sits on the executive committee of the border sheriff''s coalition, opposes parts of the measure. He''s reported as saying the proposed federal money should go to the border sheriffs'' departments.

Rep. Culberson''s bill, H.R. 3622, can be read here.

NUECES STRIP

MONDAY, October 10. SAVING LIVES !!!

Kudos to the alertness of a brand new volunteer!

Just after registering at our base camp and heading north on Hwy 281 toward Falfurrias, our new teammate noticed four illegal aliens on the other side of the fence on the Vickers’ Ranch. He immediately called Border Patrol, and with binoculars in hand, climbed on his van to observe.

Two other Minuteman vehicles posted at intervals north of the sighting quickly rallied for observation. The northernmost vehicle sighted the four, a mother, two young daughters and a teenage son. Again, the Border Patrol was called.

The family exhibited a great degree of suffering because the daughters were bracing their mother as they approached the Minuteman vehicle, hands in a praying mode and begging to be rescued.

With exceptional cooperation from the Border Patrol (ten-minute response time from the first call and 1 ½-minute response from the second), quickly this distressed family was rescued and given assistance.

The Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, Nueces Strip Sector, most probably saved some lives this day.

MONDAY, October 10. APPREHENSION AT OUR MAIN GATE

Immediately following the family rescue, security reported to BP that he witnessed an illegal alien in a white shirt, carrying a “black purse or bag,” calmly change to black and saunter away into the Vickers’ Ranch. The behavior of the intruder alerted security that he was a “cool, dangerous character.” After the MM call, BP searched inside the ranch at length, never locating him.

During the search, another illegal alien crossed the highway toward the Vickers’ property and got the shock of his life! As he climbed the 8-foot electrified fence, the current at the top of the fence knocked him to the ground. BP apprehended the illegal with no pursuit necessary.

MONDAY, October 10. DANGEROUS ENDEAVORS!!!

At approximately 9:30 p.m. on Monday, the Nueces Strip Sector Minutemen were at their posts when reports of unauthorized headlights coming off the highway were reported.

Subsequently, reports of Border Patrol vehicles in hot pursuit were reported. We then learned from BP that a white pickup truck had broken through the huge Iron Gate and that the driver was most probably armed.

Each time the white pickup saw reflections from our posts’ vehicles, it retreated, and drove cross-pasture through fences and trees. At one point, the intruder’s lights vanished, creating suspicion that he may have left his vehicle. All posts were placed on high alert and instructed to get out of the way!

Security reported that the vehicle was heading north through pastures, toward Falfurrias. Shortly thereafter, all posts returned to headquarters.

A volunteer heading north to our remote campsite called to inform base that BP vehicles had a white pickup truck stopped near the very turnoff to that site.

What a coincidence! The pickup approached or passed or avoided each of our posts, even our remote campsite! The irony of the events has created quite a bit of chatter among our patriotic volunteers who are “patiently” waiting to hear the reasons the truck seemed to be targeting our posts!

PHONE UDATE: When BP found the truck it had 25 illegals in the ONE truck, caught seven, the rest, including the coyote, got away.

The BP told us we were instrumental in their capture!

The Washington Times has an article today by Jerry Seper that tells the story of Minuteman volunteer, and all around great guy, Dr. Michael Vickers. Some of you may have seen Dr. Vickers on Fox News Weekend Live this past Sunday.

Here''s an excerpt from the article. Please take the time to click the link above to read the whole thing.

FALFURRIAS, Texas -- Minuteman volunteers have been responsible for the apprehension of hundreds of illegal aliens since they started their border vigils in April, but their biggest catch may be a prominent Texas veterinarian.
Dr. Michael Vickers, a cattle rancher and a leading Republican Party committeeman in south Texas, has joined the Minutemen, bringing what many say is credibility to an organization labeled as "vigilantes" by President Bush, a fellow Texan.
"He believes in America. He believes in the rule of law. He believes in what we are doing, and his help has been invaluable," said Al Garza, Texas president of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, which began foot and horse patrols here Saturday that will continue indefinitely.
Walking through mounds of trash left on his property, the MV Ranch, by the hordes of illegal aliens who cross every night, Dr. Vickers said he joined the Minutemen because federal and state officials have failed to seriously address illegal immigration and its impact on America.
"I decided we had to kick up as much dust as we could, and this was a good way to do it, for the sake of our country," he said. "We know the border is not secure. We don''t need to prove that."
"Over the past five years, the illegal-alien traffic has been horrendous," he said. "More than a thousand aliens pass through here every night. Our fences are being cut. Our homes and barns are being vandalized. Our families are frightened."

The print edition of The Times has four photos by staff photographer Mary F. Calvert of Dr. Vickers reviewing the damage done to his ranch by illegal immigrants who nightly cross his property 70 miles north of the border on their way into the U.S. interior.

Dr. Vickers'' ranch is located in what is known as the Highway 281 corridor. An estimated 360,000 illegal immigrants pass through there every year!

Correction: The article mentioned here is the third of a seven part series by The Deseret Morning News that began Sunday.

The Deseret Morning News starts a series on illegal immigration today with an article that focuses on Utah organizations, including the Utah Minuteman Project, that are trying to do something about the crisis of our porous borders.

The lengthy article covers a lot of ground and is worth the time taken to read it. Included is the results of a poll of Utahns which is excerpted below.

Utahns'' attitudes on the Minutemen and their politics seem mixed, according to a recent Deseret Morning News/KSL-TV poll of 413 Utah households conducted by Dan Jones & Associates.
The poll, with a 5 percent margin of error, showed 74 percent of those polled supported the efforts of private independent groups such as the Utah Minuteman Project.
However, 57 percent of those polled said they favor a program that would allow undocumented immigrants now living in America to remain in the country and earn citizenship without penalty.

The series continues in The Morning News tomorrow with an article titled Helping or Hurting the Economy?

The West Wing televison show used a fictional group of "Minutemen" for the episode that aired last Sunday night. The Republican presidential candidate, played by Alan Alda, took a trip to the Texas border and posed with a group of "Minutemen" border watchers in a campaign appearance.

The Alda character plays politics with the "Minutemen," using them as a photo-op to demonstrate the need for more Border Patrol agents but then putting them down as "vigilantes" and "not the American way."

That the Minuteman movement has made it into the hazy conscience of Hollywood is a testament to the effect the Minuteman volunteers are having on a national level.

The Spoilers Blog posted a synopsis of Sunday''s episode here. Scroll down to episode 7.3.

As you can tell from this excerpt, the West Wing screenwriters understand the behind the scenes tensions and duplicitous nature of politics.

3 pages later, and we''re in Act 3. Vinick''s at the Mexican border, shaking hands with as many Minutemen as he can. The press are there, and Bob''s keeping close to Vinick so that he can handle the press. Leon stays in the background because he doesn''t want to be included in any pictures. Vinick speaks to a Minuteman named Harley Preston. He asks Harley if he''s caught anyone yet. Harley says that there''s been a lot of press coverage today, so the illegal immigrants will probably go somewhere else to cross. Vinick thinks that that''s why they need to get tough on this issue. Leon''s not happy with what Vinick just said. A reporter asks Vinick if he''s saying that the Minutemen should get tough on any illegal immigrants trying to cross. Vinick cuts off the reporter by raising his voice. He''s about to deliver his soundbite. He says that they have a 2,000 mile border, most of it unprotected. They can''t have real Homeland Security if they can''t secure their own borders. Another reporter states that Border Patrol want the Minutemen to stop. Why does he support the Minutemen? Vinick catches Leon''s eye. Then he turns to the reporters and says he understands why the Minutemen are there, and he understands their frustration. However, he agrees with Border Patrol. They should leave law enforcement to the pros. A note says that the Minutemen stop smiling; they''re confused. Vinick says that the Minutemen are showing why they need to double Border Patrol. What they see today is what''s going to continue to happen if the govt fails to police the border; they''re going to get more vigilantes. It''s not the American way. The Minutemen are shocked. The scene ends off Leon''s approving look.

Can a Minuteman reality show be far behind?

Minutemen on Horseback! Bob Wright joins the Rough Riders for an evening ride:

Border Patrol helicopter responds to Minuteman sighting

Bob and Gary give interview to a documentary team

Communications Office

Border watch prep for meetings and nightly meetings

Hachita Saloon, open for business and run by L.G. Mays

Hachita Historic Marker

Hachita Rest Area

From the deserts of Arizona from Connie Foust and Carmen Mercer

Filed October 10, 2005

We have spent the last two nights on the Naco line as it is very active. We have combined forces to spread the line further across the border.

The Mexican military has been observed by myself and Carmen the past two days patrolling their side of the border with 50 caliber machine guns on humvees and soldiers with weapons riding on the back.

Last night we assisted the BP with the capture of 7 illegal aliens and nine others in their group ran back over the border fence. We also had many other sitings of what would be illegal aliens, OTM''s or Mexicans on the other side of the fence trying to find an opptunity to cross without detection.

The night before we reported two groups and BP apprehended 7 illegal aliens. The report from BP is that there was not any drugs involved with either group.

We are sitting approximately 40 feet from the border fence and stay in stealth mode.

The local authorities have warned us of the danger as the marijuana harvest has just been completed in Mexico and the drug runners are armed with all of the state of the art equipment that is available and also with weapons.

We have positioned our personnel close to their vehicles with escape routes in mind.

The high desert nights are cold and windy and we are surrounded with some of the bravest people I have ever encountered. I am proud to be associated with them.

ITT has provided us with six state of the art Generation 3 night vision monoculars for the entire month of October. We are very grateful for this as it allows us to have equipment that is as good as what the drug runners are using.

We wish to invite anyone who is interested to join us on the Arizona border. We need people to relieve those who are wearing out from long hours on the line. If you did not get an adequate response from us in the past please send and email to boogiegram2@msn.com. We have a person assigned at Camp Tom Tancredo to follow-up with you and help with arrangements for your stay.

Thank you and God Bless you for your interest.

Connie Foust - Sector Chief -- Huachuca Line
Carmen Mercer - Sector Chief -- Huachuca Line

Fishermen, boaters asked to report suspicious activities

TOMBSTONE, AZ (October 10, 2005) – The U.S. Border Patrol, in a nod to the success of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps (“MCDC”) border watch efforts, is asking boaters and fishermen on Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River to report to authorities suspicious activities they observe on the waterways.

In a report that aired October 6th, Fox News Channel’s Todd Conner revealed that undermanned Border Patrol agents are handing out business cards with Border Patrol contact information to boaters and fishermen seeking help in spotting potential terrorists, smugglers and illegal aliens trying to cross into New York State.

Chris Simcox, President of MCDC, issued the following statement in response to this new Border Patrol effort:

“When we started the Minuteman movement in April, we were inaccurately termed ‘racists’ and ‘vigilantes.’ Others said everyday Americans should leave the borders to the undermanned Border Patrol. Yet we answered President Bush’s own call for Americans to be vigilant after the terror attacks of 9/11. It would appear that Congress and now some areas of Border Patrol bureaucracy have recognized the success of our effort. We have always enjoyed support from agents patrolling at the borders.

“We hope that the President and Border Patrol leadership across the country will now realize that the Minutemen are doing exactly what is being asked of those on the Great Lakes: help protect the United States and see that our laws are enforced. With terrorists threatening more attacks and international crime syndicates using large segments of our wide-open borders for illegal activity including drugs, arms and human trafficking, our government cannot afford to turn away citizens offering their assistance.”

MCDC is conducting a month-long border watch program this October called “Secure Our Borders.” An estimated four thousand trained Minuteman volunteers will participate in non-confrontational border watch efforts on America''s northern and southern borders. Minutemen act as extra eyes and ears for the Border Patrol and will report directly to authorities any sightings of border crossings at other than legal ports of entry.

The Pittsburgh Tribune Review profiles a Pennsylvania couple in their early seventies who are heading to Arizona to stand watch with the Minutemen in the Tucson sector.

Just like the other Minutemen, Mr. and Mrs. Riley are paying their own way (no George Soros or Theresa Heinz money here.)They''ll be bringing their own binoculars, spotting scopes and radios for their one to two week trip helping the Minuteman Civil Defense Corp''s Secure Our Borders operation this month taking place on our northern and southern borders.

The couple is also bringing their pistols for personal protection. A friend says about Mr. Riley''s skills:

"Mr. Riley, he can protect himself," Jury said. "He''s excellent at the (shooting) range."

Mr. Riley is quoted describing his frustration with the government''s failure to act on the border crisis that many of us share:

"I e-mail our politicians. I call them on the phone," the retired steelworker and former borough councilman said. "Not one of them will ever acknowledge that we have a problem on the border."

Further in the article, Mr. Riley comments on the similarities and disparities from then and now on the immigration issue:

His ancestors were criticized for speaking Gaelic and accused of some of the same things as illegal immigrants -- such as taking jobs from native-born Americans and driving down wages, Riley said.

"They had signs -- ''Irish need not apply,''" Riley said.

The difference between past immigrants and those the Minutemen are trying to stop is simple, he said.

"The Irish came here legally," he said. "They''re coming over illegally."

Mr. Riley''s main motivation for going to the Arizona border this month is national security:

"Our biggest danger is them bringing terrorists through there," said Riley, 73. "If you can bring a ton of dope in, you can sure bring a dirty bomb in."

We wish the Korean War vet and his wife well. Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Riley for spending your time on the line with us!

Front Page Mag has posted the transcript of a speech given by Jim Gilchrist on August 26, 2005 at a conference on illegal immigration held in Beverly Hills, California. (Click title link above to read the transcript.)

In the speech, Jim gives his estimates of the economic costs of the illegal immigration crisis, as well as the toll it is taking on our society at large.

Jim warns (based on current trends) that unchecked, the country could very well have upwards of 150 million illegal immigrants by 2020.

He also spoke of the impact of the El Salvardoran-based gang MS-13 and its impact on states and towns far from the southern border and called for changes in policies that allow murderers to get away with their crimes by escaping to Mexico without fear of extradition.

For those visiting this blog who are under the false impression that the Minutemen are what our detractors say we are, please read this direct quote from Jim''s speech:

And, again, the criticism here is not against legal immigrants. I grew-up amongst legal immigrants. My grandparents on both sides are legal immigrants. The problem is with the uncontrolled tsunami of illegal immigrants. Some 3.6 million last year weren’t apprehended. That’s more people than we have in our entire Armed Forces, including Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corp. And every year this is going up.

Jim Gilchrist, Chris Simcox and the Minuteman volunteers have done this country a great service by using traditional political pressure to force government at all levels to address our porous borders and to bring awareness of the crisis to our fellow citizens.

Louie Gilot/For the Sun-Times

Oct 9, 2005, 10:08 pm

When it comes to the Minutemen, Border Patrol officials are careful not to encourage the civilian patrollers, saying the job is better left to trained professionals.

But Border Patrol agents on the ground are much friendlier, Minutemen volunteers said.

“The rank-and-file have been supportive. They talk to us. They say, ‘Thank you for being here,’” said Frank George, the spokesman for the Texas Minutemen, a group operating from Fabens to Fort Hancock this month.

SNIP

Ray Ybarra, who organizes teams of observers for the American Civil Liberties Union to follow the Minutemen around, said patrollers helped agents during the original Minuteman Project in Arizona in April.

“Agents would tell the Minutemen, ‘Watch this guy (immigrant), while I go after that guy (another immigrant),’” he said. “It’s like they are deputizing hate groups.”

As folks interact with the Minuteman Volunteers, they learn we''re just concerned citizens and bear no resemblence to the smear words the ACLU uses to wage political war on us.

Of course it''s easy for the ACLU to pick on the law-abiding Minutemen. The ACLU would serve humanity better by working with the Minutemen to fight the gross humans rights abuses by those with no respect for the law who traffick in human misery on the border.

This is our first report to come in from the field! As our Minutemen leaders find time to send in these reports we will be making them available to all here.

From the Washington State Detachment:

On September 30 we received info that the Open Borders Lobby was setting up a Peace Vigil against the Minuteman at the Peach Arch Park, Blaine, directly on the border. The Anarchists, who protested at the WTO in Seattle a few years ago, were coming with 8,000 protesters on October 1st.

We had our training here on the 1st at Camp Standing Bear, private property, and had classroom training for 13, bringing our total to 17. There were more media than Minutemen, mostly Canadian. We moved our "training" OP''s to the East to avoid detection/confrontation with the anarchists, and secured for the night. No sign of the protestors.

Sunday we had shift briefing and occupied all six of our OP''s during daylight, two at night. We still do, five to seven at day, one or two at night. We have had a total of 27 different folks stand posts. Our oldest is 87, youngest 42.

Individual agents sing our praises, locals are warming to us. Several deterred attempts of people approaching the border, seeing our Minutemen and fleeing north. 20 crossings a month are the average here, and we have had tons of publicity from Canadian print media along the border.

After a week we now have flags and MCDC signs on our vehicles, people are honking and waving along both border roads, yards apart. No fence.

Minutemen Claude LeBas(L) and Tom Williams (AFP/Cathryn Atkinson)

Tom Williams
Skipper
Washington Minuteman Detachment
Minuteman Civil Defense Corps

Gary Martin
San Antonio Express-News Washington Bureau
Saturday, October 8, 2005

WASHINGTON — Republican lawmakers urged President Bush on Friday to abandon his push for a guest-worker program until the strict enforcement of immigration laws is achieved along the U.S.-Mexico border.

The lawmakers drew a line in the political sand as the House and Senate prepare to debate sweeping immigration reform proposals prompted by the president''s plea to revamp current laws with border enforcement and a temporary work program.

Rep. Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio, said increased enforcement of immigration laws at the border is essential before Congress considers a guest-worker program.

"We have lost control of our borders and endangered the lives of Americans by not enforcing immigration laws," he said.

Smith penned a letter to the White House signed by 82 Republican members of the House of Representatives who urged Bush to back off on his guest-worker proposal and concentrate on border enforcement.

SNIP

Rep. Charlie Gonzalez, D-San Antonio, filed a bill Friday that would increase fines on businesses for hiring undocumented workers.

Gonzalez accused Congress of demagoguery in the debate over illegal immigration, while failing to penalize and prosecute employers and businesses that knowingly hire undocumented workers.

SNIP

Meanwhile, the Senate Judiciary Committee has scheduled a second hearing on comprehensive immigration reform proposals for Oct. 18.

A bill by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., would create a temporary worker program and allow undocumented immigrants in this country an opportunity to enroll after paying fines and penalties for entering the country illegally.

Hispanic rights and pro-immigration groups have endorsed the McCain-Kennedy bill, which would also provide an avenue for citizenship.

Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., has filed a similar bill in the House.

Other legislation by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., would create a guest-worker program, but would not provide a path for citizenship.

SNIP

Recent reports and studies estimate 11 million immigrants are in this country illegally.

SNIP

Thanks to the efforts of the Minuteman volunteers and our supporters across the country, Congress is starting to take steps to secure the borders after years of neglect.

KVOA-TV 4 in Tucson reports the Yuma County Sheriff''s Department has acquired a nine-ton armored vehicle to protect its deputies from attacks by gun firing and rock throwing smugglers on the border.

The Border Patrol in Yuma will also have a smaller armored vehicle in use soon.

KVOA says these will be the first vehicles the law enforcement agencies have to protect their officers from gunfire.

Maj. Leon Wilmott of the Yuma Sheriff''s Department is quoted as saying in the first six months of this year law enforcement agencies in the area have documented 167 assaults, 104 rock throwing attacks and 6 incidents of guns being fired at officers.

The headline we used is in jest, but if the Yuma Sheriff offered a civilian ride-along program in the armored vehicle, we''re sure there''d be no shortage of Minuteman volunteers who''d leap at the chance.

Meanwhile, Rocky Mountain News columnist Mike Littwin, wrote an opinion piece that mocks Colorado state Representative Dave Schultheis for carrying a 9 mm handgun for protection when he recently went on night border watch patrols with the Minutemen and two fellow Colorado representatives in Arizona.

We wonder if Mr. Littwin will take back his mockery of Rep. Schultheis after learning that law enforcement in the area, armed with much more powerful firearms than just a 9 mm, deem it necessary to protect their officers on patrol by having them ride in armored vehicles.

The Senate passed a bill yesterday, HR 2360, previously approved by the House of Representatives that calls for increased funding of the U.S. Border Patrol. The bill now goes to the White House for President Bush''s signature.

The funding is part of a homeland security package that attempts to prioritize the allocation of spending on transit security, first responders, border patrols and disaster relief.

Combined with previously passed emergency funding, 1500 new Border Patrol agents will be paid for this coming year.

Also in the bill is funding for 250 new investigators and 460 detention personnel.

Associated Press article here.

Congress is starting to heed the call of the Minutemen volunteers for beefed up security on our borders. More is needed to be done, but this is encouraging for now.

DNC Chair Howard Dean Attacks Minutemen
MCDC chastises Dean for race baiting

TOMBSTONE, AZ (October 8, 2005) – Howard Dean, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, in a sick and stunningly opportunistic attempt to profit politically from the recent heinous murders of six immigrant farm workers in Georgia, released a statement yesterday blaming the Minutemen border watch movement for somehow inciting this crime.

In his blatant attempt at race baiting, Dean – carrying on the despicable tradition of racial demagoguery practiced by such Democrats as Bull Connor, Orval Faubus and Rep. Charles Rangel – yesterday accused the Minutemen of “spread(ing) fear and hatred in America.”

Chris Simcox, President of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps (“MCDC”), made the following statement:

“By Howard Dean’s logic, Dean’s fellow Democrats, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, are responsible for any hate crime perpetrated against Hispanics in their states, because both Democrat governors have declared states of emergency on their respective borders with Mexico.

“Governors Richardson and Napolitano are not spreading fear and hatred in America, nor are the Minutemen. We are bringing attention to the dire national security crisis, and to an immigration policy that has created a condition of catastrophic lawlessness and vulnerability at our wide-open borders.

“Dean ignores the fact that most crimes committed against illegal immigrants are perpetrated by members of well-established illegal immigrant gangs – run by international criminal cartels ruthlessly trafficking drugs, weapons, and impoverished migrants into our sovereign territory. These gangs prey on illegal immigrants and our citizens alike, in communities all across America. Securing our borders is pro-immigrant. Once the borders are secured, all who come here through legal ports of entry will be required to have legal status thus barring criminals and gang members from entry.

“It is irresponsible rhetoric like Dean’s that makes it more difficult for serious people to remedy a situation that leaves America vulnerable to terrorist attacks and organized crime – which brutalizes, oppresses and violently exploits the least fortunate among us. Dean should leave behind the contemptible race-baiting politics of the 19th and 20th Centuries and join those of us who are trying to solve America’s 21st Century problems.”

MCDC is conducting a month-long border watch program this October called “Secure Our Borders.” An estimated four thousand trained Minuteman volunteers will participate in non-confrontational border watch efforts on America''s northern and southern borders. Minutemen act as extra eyes and ears for the Border Patrol and will report directly to authorities any sightings of border crossings at other than legal ports of entry.

Now one from the "When you''re taking flak, you''re over the target" column:

Right in line with his usual penchant for divisive and hate-filled remarks, Howard Dean, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, issued a statement, today "paid for and authorized by the Democratic National Committee," sickeningly seeking to profit politically from the recent heinous murders of six immigrant farm workers in Georgia. He also manages to somehow blame the Minutemen.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families of the recent attacks against Hispanic immigrants in Georgia, as they cope with the senseless violence. No one, undocumented or otherwise, should ever have to fear for their safety because of their ethnicity or economic status. Democrats are committed to taking affirmative steps to promoting tolerance and understanding in America.

"I call on President Bush to use his photo-op with Hispanics today to condemn anti-immigrant violence, and to call on extremist members of his own party to end their anti-immigrant rhetoric and support for the Minutemen vigilante group, both of which are helping spread fear and hatred in America." -- Howard Dean

Herein lies proof that Dr. Dean includes race baiting as part of his long and illustrious list of abuses of the English language. Is anyone really surprised?

We would like to remind Dr. Dean that the Minutemen do not oppose immigration, we oppose illegal immigration. Words mean things, Doctor.

Mexican Protesters Vow Mexican National Guard Will Confront Minutemen on the California Border This Weekend

TOMBSTONE, AZ (October 7, 2005) A group of Mexican and Mexican-Americans demonstrating against the presence of citizen volunteers participating in the month-long Secure Our Borders operation by the Minuteman Corps of California, an authorized chapter of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps (MCDC), in the O’Neil Valley near San Diego today vowed to return on Saturday with the Mexican National Guard to confront the Minutemen.

Speaking from the Mexican side of the border, members of the protest group made up of Mexican nationals and US citizens with dual citizenship told Tim Donnelly, leader of the Minuteman Corps of California, that they would return on Saturday with more than 300 members of the Mexican National Guard to confront the Minutemen in their efforts to act as a neighborhood watch on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Donnelly has been conversing this week with Mexican nationals, one of whom holds a position with the Calexico, California city government. Calexico, a border town in the United States of America, flies only the Mexican flag over its town hall.

“Interest in the Minutemen has been building all week on the other side of the border near East San Diego County,” Donnelly said. “We’ve been conversing with our adversaries hoping to come to some mutual understanding of the issues and alleviate their concerns over our intentions.”

“Our main purpose is to help secure America’s borders by being extra eyes for the authorities,” Donnelly continued. “In that regard we have been successful. A little over 100 ordinary Americans including grandmothers holding Chihuahuas and American flags have effectively sealed off one of the most heavily trafficked areas for illegal points of entry in San Diego County.”

“We hope that if members of the Mexican National Guard do arrive at our location near the border tomorrow that they will be there to help stop illegal crossings and drug smuggling along the porous border shared by California and Mexico,” Donnelly added.

MCDC is conducting a month-long border watch program this October called Secure Our Borders. An estimated four thousand trained Minuteman volunteers will participate in non-confrontational patrols of the northern and southern borders. They will report to authorities any sightings of illegal border crossings by suspected illegal immigrants, smugglers and potential terrorists.

In a rare statement of support from the United States Senate, Texas Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison announces that she is proposing legislation to allow local law enforcement to detain and arrest illegal immigrants. Sen. Hutchinson acknowledges that the legislation results from efforts by the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps to heighten awareness of the dire national security situation posed by our wide open borders.

In today''s report "Bill would let police detain, arrest illegal immigrants" from the Daily Texan Online, Senator Hutchinson says she admires the Minutemen''s dedication.

Thank you, Senator Hutchison!

Minutemen say corrupt, heartless government drives Mexican citizens from home

TOMBSTONE, AZ (October 3, 2005) – The government of Mexico yesterday issued a threat of legal action against the Minuteman Civil Defense Corp (“MCDC”) over the civilian group’s “Secure Our Borders” month-long operations on the northern and southern United States borders this October.

The Mexican consul for Brownsville, Texas, Victor Manuel Treviño Escudero, was reported by The Brownsville Herald as saying. “… the consulate will be alert for human rights violations or anything illegal, and would be disposed to sue the group for any trespasses.”

According to the U.S. State Department, the Mexican government has a long and sordid history of human rights violations and corruption that continues today. Millions of frustrated Mexican citizens have given up trying to change their corrupt, heartless government and are now voting with their feet by crossing into the United States, using legal and illegal means. They strive to live and raise their families in a country that is ruled by law and not by staggeringly corrupt government.

“The Minutemen do not blame Mexican nationals for wanting to live and work in the United States,” said Chris Simcox, President of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps. “Our grievance is with the corrupt Mexican government and the oligarchs in power there who are callously shifting the responsibility of their impoverished population to the United States taxpayer through ineffectual border control efforts.”

Simcox continued, “The border policies of the Mexican and United States governments have created a tragic and dangerous situation for citizens of both countries. Each year hundreds of Mexican and other nationals die a horrible death as they traverse desert wilderness attempting to illegally enter the United States. Among the sea of humanity that moves across the open borders every day, terrorists are free to walk across the border unchecked with chemical, biological and even nuclear materials. This is an unacceptable level of national security risk in a post-9/11 world.”

As recently reported in The Arizona Daily Star, the Mexican border town of Sasabe, Sonora, has been taken over de facto by drug smugglers and “coyotes” in a manner reminiscent of Al Qaeda’s taking over Iraqi towns on the Syrian border.

National security experts have said repeatedly it is not a matter of “if,” but of “when” terrorists will bring weapons of mass destruction across the open borders to murder thousands of American citizens in terror attacks that will dwarf 9/11.

“Rather than threatening law-abiding, concerned American citizens, the Mexican government should concentrate on making Mexico a country where its citizens want to live instead of a country their people risk death to flee by the millions each year,” Simcox said.

The MCDC will have over four thousand trained citizen volunteers posted at strategic points along the northern and southern United States border though the month of October to monitor conditions and report sightings to the U.S. Border Patrol of illegal border crossings by illegal aliens, drug smugglers and potential terrorists. The MCDC “Secure Our Borders” operation will provide much-needed resources to the grossly undermanned Border Patrol by supplying volunteers who report suspicious activity directly to authorities.