Two Illegal Immigrants Win Arizona Ranch in Court Fight

The New York Times ^ | 08/19/05 | Andrew Pollack

[RoyalsFan]

By ANDREW POLLACK Published: August 19, 2005 DOUGLAS, Ariz., Aug. 18 - Spent shells litter the ground at what is left of the firing range, and camouflage outfits still hang in a storeroom. Just a few months ago, this ranch was known as Camp Thunderbird, the headquarters of a paramilitary group that promised to use force to keep illegal immigrants from sneaking across the border with Mexico.

Now, in a turnabout, the 70-acre property about two miles from the border is being given to two immigrants whom the group caught trying to enter the United States illegally.

The land transfer is being made to satisfy judgments in a lawsuit in which the immigrants had said that Casey Nethercott, the owner of the ranch and a former leader of the vigilante group Ranch Rescue, had harmed them.

"Certainly it's poetic justice that these undocumented workers own this land," said Morris S. Dees Jr., co-founder and chief trial counsel of the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Ala., which represented the immigrants in their lawsuit.

Mr. Dees said the loss of the ranch would "send a pretty important message to those who come to the border to use violence."

[Barney59]

Morris S. Dees Jr


... that's all you need to read to know that the enemies of our country and way of life are hard at work tearing down this great nation.

Dees and his group are as bad or worse than the ACLU.

As one who was born in Alabama, I'm ashamed he's headquartered in Montgomery.
I don't advocate any sort of violence (ie: Thunder-birds) but this sort of twisted legal judgment shows how badly our judicial system is in need of reform...

[moehoward]

"Clearly there's more to the equation than you're letting on...."

The "equation" is this simple. They know it's better here than there. And since making it worse here is not an option, we need to put barriers in the way, wall, fence, Guard or civilian patrols.

And spare me the "they are such good workers" schpeel. I have been in the garment industry for the past 15 years.

[r9etb]

Unless you think it's not the Feds sworn responsibility to protect and secure our borders.

Sure. But maybe the Feds should be looking in a more northerly direction. After all, somebody is hiring those folks when they get here, right? And somebody is allocating money for welfare and various other social services, right?

The folks coming north are coming for the money. That's just the plain fact. Why would you be so unwilling to dwell on that?

[Travis McGee]

I am a loyal American, trying as hard as I can to defend the Constitution and American sovereignty. I will stand behind Old Glory and defend her until the day I die.

---

U.S. Constitution Article 4 Section 4:

"The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government,

and shall protect each of them against Invasion;"

---

Invasion: \In*va"sion\, n. [L. invasio: cf. F. invasion. See Invade.] [1913 Webster]

1. The act of invading; the act of encroaching upon the rights or possessions of another; encroachment; trespass.

---

Then, there is the Open Borders Lobby. Here, we have a picture of honest members of the Open Borders Lobby, who honestly stand behind their banner, and do not sail under false colors.

[humblegunner]

Tancredo opposes the Denver library having books in Spanish because it might encourage "illegal" Hispanics to use the library

Good.
Illegals did not pay the taxes that funded the libraries, so the libraries
DO NOT BELONG TO THEM. Yet more servicios y programas being stolen.

[r9etb]

Are you going to dodge the question again?

I'm not dodging the question. The problems you've described are caused by Americans. That's what I've been saying all along. If the problem is caused by Americans, why would you attempt to solve it by dealing with Mexicans who merely take advantage of American largesse?

[Modernman]

Then, there is the Open Borders Lobby. Here, we have a picture of honest members of the Open Borders Lobby, who honestly stand behind their banner, and do not sail under false colors.

And who, on this thread, belongs to the Open Borders Lobby, in your opinion?

[Travis McGee]

Bienvenidos a Aztlan. Oprima el numero dos para Ingles.

[r9etb]

The "equation" is this simple. They know it's better here than there. And since making it worse here is not an option, we need to put barriers in the way, wall, fence, Guard or civilian patrols.

Why is it "not an option?" Seems to me that understanding the answer to that question would be the key to solving the problem of illegal immigration.

And spare me the "they are such good workers" schpeel. I have been in the garment industry for the past 15 years.

Hm. I can only report what I've observed.

[RGSpincich]

Nethercott and the rest all had a chance to have their say against the illegal aliens but instead they either settled or turned tail and ran. No sympathy for a man who won't defend himself or his property.

Mr. Sutton settled for $100,000. Mr. Nethercott and Mr. Foote did not defend themselves, so the judge issued default judgments of $850,000 against Mr. Nethercott and $500,000 against Mr. Foote.

[Travis McGee]

Those who fly under false colors, with the clear intention of destroying American sovereignty. Can't you read? Sheesh.

[bayourod]

Maybe some second generation immigrants who take pride in their heritage would like to become literate in their ancestral culture.

You've mentioned having letters and journals from the early twentieth century. I assume they are in Spanish. Don't you think that if you gave copies to your local libraries that other people of similar heritage might appreciate reading them? And it' s not just your history, it's the history of all Texans.

When your grandparents were migrant workers in West Texas they might have set up their camp on my grandparents' ranch some Summers. My mother remembers watching the Mexicans build clay ovens in which to cook tortillas; of picking up their pinto beans and flour each week when they took the wagon into town.

I remember when Mexicans were considered our neighbors, not our "invaders" and when Spanish was mandatory in Texas schools.

[hispanarepublicana]

It's extremely well-paying work by Mexican standards.

BUT THIS ISN'T MEXICO! Seriously, how many of them do you think are expecting the cost of living to be as high as it is when they get here?

I doub't you'd do much better than they, if you were without insurance. The cost of government services to illegals is, indeed, a serious issue. But that's not the fault of the illegals who use the services, but rather the Americans (in state and local government) who make money available for that purpose.

Bull. My parents didn't have insurance when I was born, but they paid in cash because they waited to have children until they'd saved up enough. It's called personal responsibility.

Further, I don't hold the government completely blameless for making the services available, but somehow, the illegals need to realize that they need to get off the teat and either get documented so they can advance themselves without government help or come here legally to begin with so that they can make decent enough money rather than under-the-table, cut-rate wages with no employer benefits.

[r9etb]

Those who fly under false colors, with the clear intention of destroying American sovereignty. Can't you read? Sheesh.

OK. Are there any of "those" on this thread? If so, who are they? And if not, why are you harping on it?

[flutters]

Bump for later review.

[Modernman]

Those who fly under false colors, with the clear intention of destroying American sovereignty. Can't you read? Sheesh.

That's not an answer, and you know it. It's just more dodging and weaving.

Or aren't you forthright enough to come out and say "j'accuse?"

[Doctor Stochastic]

I would say he meant "hispanic." Illegal aliens usually don't serve on juries.

[Poincare]

Mr. Dees said the loss of the ranch would "send a pretty important message to those who come to the border to use violence."

Message in Spanish?

[Bird Jenkins]

Sure. But maybe the Feds should be looking in a more northerly direction. After all, somebody is hiring those folks when they get here, right? And somebody is allocating money for welfare and various other social services, right? The folks coming north are coming for the money. That's just the plain fact. Why would you be so unwilling to dwell on that?

So once you're policy has been enacted, what do we do with all those unemployable Mexicans that have already managed to squeeze through? If they're idle, wouldn't it be even worse than it is now?