Minuteman National Blog

Thanks to Sara Carter for yet another story highlighting Bush''s lack of interest in securing our borders:

Sara A. Carter, Staff Writer
San Bernardino County Sun

Bush snubs border sheriffs President refuses to meet coalition as lawmakers prepare hearings

President Bush has refused to meet with border law enforcement officials from Texas for a second time. His response to their request came in the form of a letter Monday, angering both lawmakers and sheriffs.

In fact, some Republican members of Congress, upset by what they call the administration''s seeming lack of concern for border security, are preparing to hold investigative hearings in San Diego and Laredo, Texas, early next month.

Members of the House subcommittee on international terrorism and nonproliferation hope to expose serious security flaws that could potentially lead to terrorist attacks in the country, said Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, who is a member of the panel and has pushed for the hearings.

"The next terrorist is not going to come in through (Transportation Security Administration) screening at Kennedy airport," Poe said. "We already have information that people from the Middle East have come through the border from Mexico. They assimilate in Mexico learning to speak Spanish and adopt customs and then they cross the border into the United States."

Poe requested the meeting for members of the Southwestern Sheriffs'' Border Coalition -- a group that includes all 26 border county sheriffs from California, New Mexico, Arizona and Texas. The sheriffs wanted to speak to the president about the increasing dangers in their communities and along the border.

"The president is the busiest man in the world but he needs to take the time to talk to the border sheriffs and learn what''s happening in the real world from them," Poe said. "We can''t understand why he refuses to meet with them."

-SNIP-

To read the entire article, click here: http://www.sbsun.com/news/ci_3943005

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

MINUTEMEN CONDEMN CONGRESSMAN MIKE PENCE’S AMNESTY PROPOSAL

PHOENIX, AZ (June 15, 2006) – Chris Simcox, President of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps (“MCDC”), released the following statement in response to the reported “endorsement” by the Minutemen of Rep. Mike Pence’s so-called “compromise” amnesty proposal:

“The Minuteman Civil Defense Corps in no way, shape, manner or form endorses Rep. Mike Pence’s current amnesty proposal in the U.S. House of Representatives.

“The Minuteman Civil Defense Corps and its leadership represent the U.S. citizen volunteers who from their first operations in Tombstone AZ five long years ago, have stood vigilant mission after mission on the front lines of our broken borders. By the hundreds, and now thousands nationwide, with cleared background checks and a rigorously enforced field SOP (standard operating procedure), we as free Americans are acting to secure our nation’s frontiers from foreign invasion in the face of overt federal government failure to do so. We are backed today by over 180,000 private donors and subscribed volunteers nationwide—and growing—and we would like to reassure the American people that while some in our grassroots movement have publicly expressed their own personal opinions, the official position of MCDC is unequivocal: Rep. Pence’s amnesty proposal is a sell-out; it is a politically opportunistic betrayal of the U.S. House’s stalwart action in HR 4437 to protect and defend these United States with ‘Border Security First,’ as is the Congress’ duty under the U.S. Constitution; and it is utterly rejected by the Minutemen.

“There is only one Minuteman organization standing operational watch nationwide at our borders and only one Minuteman organization building fences along the United States border with Mexico on private land using private donations. Others who tout the Minuteman name may support legislation that fecklessly undermines HR 4437 and grants amnesty to illegal aliens. But I can assure you that the premiere Minuteman group doing the actual hard work at the borders, with the firm support of the American people, does not and will not endorse any form of amnesty, no matter what kind of false advertising it is wrapped in, no matter which side of the political aisle it rears its ugly head.

“Make no mistake, Rep. Mike Pence has sold out the American people and the House Republican leadership in his attempt to curry favor with the Rockefeller wing and the morally irresponsible ‘free-marketeers’ of the Republican Party. They wish to award their big donor, open border lobbyists with an unending supply of slave-wage labor and ethically unaccountable global marketplaces—all subsidized by the American taxpayer, and all at the expense of our national sovereignty, security and prosperity. The Minuteman Civil Defense Corps will not sell out the American people to these special interests. We will continue at our posts until this nation’s borders are actually secured. And we send notice to the U.S. Congress, as the American Peoples’ House—Stand Firm! We expect no less than that you each uphold the sworn oath you have taken to protect and defend America!”

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Rep. Chris Cannon, the five-term pro-amnesty incumbent Republican from the 3rd Congressional District of Utah, finds himself in the midst of a heated primary race over the illegal immigration issue. Making charges of xenophobia aren''t going to help your campaign, Mr. Cannon.

From the Salt Lake City Tribune:

Cannon vs. Jacob: No love lost
District 3 debate: Allegations of racist views on one side, cries of complacency on the other for Republican hopefuls
By Glen Warchol
The Salt Lake Tribune

OREM - In an often-heated debate Saturday, it quickly became apparent that the race for Utah''s 3rd Congressional District seat pivots on one issue: immigration.

Just as immigration reform has become explosive nationally, the clash between Republican primary opponents John Jacob and Chris Cannon showed the issue could become rancorous and divisive in Utah, the reddest of red states.

The candidates, who will meet in a June 27 primary that likely will determine who will represent the district in Congress, agreed on virtually every other issue raised, including battling rising health care costs (deregulation), federal involvement in public education (less or none) and the plague of methamphetamine addiction (cut off the supply from Mexico).

Even their positions on immigration reform, though passionate, are not always easy to tell apart. Both want secure borders. Both say they stand steadfast against illegal immigration. And both stand for the rule of law.

Five-term incumbent Cannon says illegal immigration is "a cancer eating at the very core of the fiber of our country." But any scheme to deport the 12 million undocumented workers in the country, he says, is unrealistic, and would burden businesses unfairly.

Jacob, an Eagle Mountain businessman, argued the approach of Washington on immigration for decades has been ineffective and wrongheaded, particularly the emphasis that U.S. economic prosperity is dependent on immigrant labor. Creating an underclass of low-paid undocumented workers because it supports economic growth is just plain greed, he says.

The kinds of jobs undocumented workers now hold would be filled by teens, citizens and legal immigrants if a fair wage were paid, he said.

"We want to raise wages in Utah and bring more people to Utah from other states," Jacob said.

As far as sending the country''s estimated 12 million undocumented workers back to their homelands, Jacob says it is feasible - over time.

"If you don''t think it can be done - Mexico did it. They got rid of 12 million people," he said to applause from the audience in the student center at Utah Valley State College.

Cannon lamented that much of the immigration debate is driven by xenophobia.

"There are a lot of people who are angry and fearful, and that''s not the best of America... I don''t think xenophobia is a Republican virtue."

~SNIP~

To read the entire article, click here: http://www.sltrib.com/search/ci_3924534

To discuss this topic on our Minuteman Forum, click on the title link!

Not only are they fed up with McCain, but apparently pretty much everyone else who''s involved in this "guest worker" fiasco:

U.S. Border Patrol Agents Angry with McCain
Dave Eberhart, NewsMax.com

With lawmakers from the House and Senate yet to reconcile their competing immigration bills and President Bush still touting a temporary worker program, some rank-and-file defenders of the border are lambasting the notion that deporting illegal aliens is impractical.

Moreover they view anything that smacks of amnesty as a betrayal to those who have risked their lives patrolling the borders.

The National Border Patrol Council (NBPC) union represents the U.S. Border Patrol''s 10,000 non-supervisory agents. The largest local of the NBPC is Local 2544, headquartered in Tucson, Arizona - a busy sector accounting for more than half of the 1.15 million illegal aliens apprehended last year by the Border Patrol.

Local 2544 members serve on the front lines, and they are hopping mad with the administration and with some lawmakers in particular.

Mike Albon, Local 2544''s public information officer, told NewsMax, "All the comments on our Web site are the opinions of the Local and can be taken as the Union''s point of view."

To say the least, the Senate bill''s gradual amnesty program for many who have crossed the border illegally is unpopular with Local 2544:

"We strongly oppose any attempts to reward illegal alien lawbreakers. We have risked our lives to keep them out of this country. The slick politicians can call it ‘guest-worker'' or ‘earned legalization'' all they want, but it''s amnesty."

‘Amnesty John'' McCain

Particular union vitriol is reserved for the man they call "Amnesty John," who voted for the Senate bill. "Amnesty John" is the union''s handle for Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

"Senator McCain has never been a friend to rank-and-file Border Patrol agents," says the union. "He routinely ignores correspondence from Border Patrol agents and often gives the impression that he is just too big and too important to deal with us. He attempts to undermine our mission at every turn and actively supports the criminals who violate our laws. He always tries to downplay the fact that illegal aliens knowingly and willingly violate our laws."

According to Albon, the root of the rank-and-file frustration is that McCain and others who want a road to citizenship for some of those already unlawfully in the country are at best unrealistic when it comes to the paperwork burden of proving who was where and when: "Your government is nowhere near being capable of handling all those claims.

"They will buckle at the slightest hint of pressure from any activist/social services group. They will issue waivers like candy to any illegal alien who says he or she can''t afford the ''fines'' levied by the government. They will accept one fraudulent document after another. The entire thing will be mass chaos."

-SNIP-

To read the entire article, click here: http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2006/6/13/164902.shtml?s=et

To discuss this topic on our Minuteman Forum, click on the title link!

Yes! Yes! Yes!

AP – Washington, 7:57 PM

Hopes for a quick compromise on immigration were dealt a blow Tuesday after House Speaker Dennis Hastert said he wanted to take a "long look" at a Senate bill offering possible citizenship to millions of illegal immigrants.

Hastert said hearings on the Senate bill should be held before appointing anyone to a House-Senate committee to negotiate a compromise immigration bill. Later, he said he was unsure what the House''s next move would be.

"We''re going to take a long look at it," Hastert said late Tuesday.

House Majority Leader John Boehner agreed. "I think we should know clearly what''s in the Senate bill," Boehner said. But he added there are lots of ways to understand its contents.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, also scheduled a hearing for Monday to review provisions in the bill requiring employers to verify that their workers are legal.

Cornyn said he opposes a provision allowing workers to use up to 20 documents to verify they are legal workers. Also, the Department of Homeland Security has raised concerns about how quickly it must have in place an electronic system that employers will use to verify their workers legal status, Cornyn''s spokesman Don Stewart said.

"This will give us a chance to look at it in more detail," Cornyn said.

Sending a bill that has already passed the Senate to hearings would be a highly unusual move and make completing a final bill before Congress goes on its summer recess in August far less likely. Disagreement on procedural issue has kept negotiations from starting, but there were hopes that could be resolved this week.

"It''s an obvious retreat from where we are," said Jim Manley, spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.

The Senate passed a sweeping immigration bill nearly three weeks ago. The bill offers most illegal immigrants in the country and future guest workers a path to citizenship.

Last December, the House passed a bill focused on enforcement. It doesn''t offer eventual citizenship to illegal immigrants or create a guest worker program. There are many other significant differences in the bills.

~SNIP~

To read the entire article, click here: http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/06/13/D8I7L2180.html

To discuss this topic on our Minuteman Forum, click on the title link!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

MINUTEMEN IN NEW YORK SUCCESSFUL IN CLOSING ILLEGAL ALIEN HOUSING

SOUTHAMPTON, NY (June 13, 2006) – Peter Lanteri, New York Chapter Director of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps (“MCDC-NY”), today announced successful operations by the New York Minutemen in reporting and pursuing enforcement against grievous, dangerous housing code violations by illegal aliens in Southampton.

Due to information from the Eastern Suffolk County chapter of the MCDC-NY supplied to Town of Southampton code enforcement authorities, the property at 57 Peconic Street in Hampton Bays has been shut down. Found at the property were extreme violations of the Township housing code. Living inside of this illegally-renovated, single-family home were 19 adults and four children—including an infant domiciled in a boarded-up basement in conditions that posed an overt risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Local officials stated exposed wiring, illegally-constructed stairwells, extension cords and illegal occupation of an attic were included in the list of violations found causing highly dangerous living conditions.

“The Minutemen have provided numerous addresses in the Hamptons area to code enforcement and this was the first action taken on these reports to authorities. We applaud the actions of authorities. Minutemen will press our efforts to have all of the reported locations acted upon, and we will continue to report these violations to the proper authorities,” said Lanteri. “America is still a nation which governs herself under the rule of law, and these laws apply equally to all.”

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To discuss this topic on the Minuteman Forum, click on the title link!

All Minutemen are invited to come down to the Arizona border for the last weekend of the month for border operations. Details are as follows:

Minuteman Civil Defense Corps
Patriots Weekend ‘06

6501 Greenway Parkway, Suite 103-640, Scottsdale, AZ 85254 Phone (520) 829-3112

MCDC is requesting your presence for this one year anniversary of operating in the Altar Valley, Pima County Arizona. We have stood 8 weekend operations and 2 thirty-day missions in this valley with thousands of illegal aliens spotted and reported. Please come stand guard with us as we continue to do the jobs our governments are failing to do.

DATE: Friday June 30th 2006 ending Monday July 3rd at 7AM.

LOCATION: King Anvil Ranch, Three Points Arizona, Altar Valley (private property)

TIME: Shifts will run from 7PM-1AM, 1AM-7AM. Night shifts only.

Sector Chief: Stacey O’Connell, AZ State Director

Line Leaders: Hank Fields and Lance Altherr; Phx and Tucson Chapter Leaders.

OPERATIONAL LOCATION/DIRECTIONS: From Tucson, take Hwy Rt 86 West aprox 23 miles to Three Points Arizona. Then take Rt 286 South to mile marker 38, shortly after, make right onto King Anvil Ranch entry (dirt road). Follow that road about ½ mile to main ranch house. Please keep your speed down, this is a private road.

Please check into the admin station when you arrive. Be prepared to show your MCDC ID Card. If you are a new MM, a temporary field ID will be issued to you. If you are not a MM, you will be able to register on site, get your background check and vetting done on site. All new MM are required to check in no later than 3PM the date of arrival. Payment for registration is expected in full in form of cash, check or credit card upon new registration.

All current Minutemen are asked to be on site and through Admins at least 2 hours prior to taking a shift.

TRAINING CLASS: New Minutemen are required to take this one hour class prior to taking a post/shift. Training classes are as follows:

Friday June 30th : 4PM

Saturday July 1st: 4PM

Sunday July 2nd: 4PM

Please bring a printed copy of the SOP and Training Manual available at www.minutemanhq.com , a pen/pencil and paper to take notes on. You will be taken to your posts after the class period.

If you are newly registered and have not yet been vetted or contacted by MCDC; you are welcome to come to the event. Your vetting will be done on site. You will also receive a temp field ID Card.

EXPECTATIONS: Our summer operations can be brutal to say the least. Day time temps range from 103-115 degrees. Night time temps can be from 92-103 degrees or more. If you have had heat stroke in the past, or in poor health conditions, please advise your doctor before coming.

It is important that you bring to post with you enough water to stay hydrated, along with food and anything else that might make your stay more comfortable. Your vehicles will be on post with you, so please pack a cooler for yourself. Also, you''ll want to carry an extra gallon of water for any illegal aliens in need you come across during your shift. You will be static on post, not moving around. Our shifts will be at night so we expect light and noise disciplines.

You''ll also want to bring your two way radios (peanuts), cell phone, lawn chairs, shade umbrella for the first few hours of the first shift, sunscreen, flashlights, and that cooler full of water….did I mention water? Please come dressed for the field, no open toed shoes.

LODGING: Dry camping for tents and RVs will be available on the ranch location. Please ask the admin desk on where to camp. There will be porta potties available, no showers. There will be a $1 per night per/person camp fee, paid in full upon check-in.

Camping for tents and RVs is also available at the “Caballo Loco Ranch” further South on Rt 286 on the East side of the road. This is a wonderful place to camp for RVs, complete with showers, electricity and laundry. Please contact the owners at 520-449-0616 for reservations, feel free to mention you are a Minuteman. The entrance from Rt 286 takes you on an 8 miles dirt road before you get there.

Hotels are available in Tucson, about 30 miles away. Here is a list of recommended locations we have used in the past:

Travelodge: 520-622-8089

Howard Johnson 520-622-5871

Motel 6 520-624-2516

Remember, it''s going to be hot during the day and that’s the time you''ll be needing your sleep. Select your accommodations according to your needs.

WEAPONS: MCDC permits sidearms. All sidearms are to remain holstered at all times. Long arms are not permitted. Concealed sidearms require a CCW permit recognized by Arizona Law. Violations of this are grounds for dismissal.

MEDIA: There will likely be international, national and local media; both print and television. All Minutemen are encouraged to speak with them. If you choose not to, please advise the reporter that you do not want to be interviewed, and the same if you do not want your photo taken. All Media will be required to check in at the admin desk and get a Media Guest Pass to be worn viewable around their necks.

Please RSVP to this event by sending an email to azcactus@aol.com Contact Stacey O’Connell with any questions or concerns.

Semper Vigilans.

Stacey O’Connell

AZ State Director

MCDC AZ

Cell 602-705-7947