Posted on 03/29/2007 4:17:55 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
The Minuteman organization will soon be in the Rio Grande Valley. Their presence has many on the Mexican side of the border concerned over their activities, especially the Mexican Consulate in McAllen.
The Minuteman's first border operation will start this weekend and just as they plan to have their eyes on illegal crossings, the Mexican Government will have their eyes on them.
Miriam Medel, Mexican Consulate spokesperson, tells Action 4 News they'll be very vigilant all weekend. "We want to make sure that no human rights are violated, and make sure that it's only the authorized personnel, the people who have had the training and the mandate to do so, the only ones that are making the arrests" said Medel.
But while the Minuteman volunteers are preparing their operations, immigrants continue to arrive in Reynosa, Mexico, with intentions to cross into the United States. Between sixty to seventy immigrants are given a place to stay every night at the Guadalupe Shelter downtown Reynosa. They are undocumented immigrants who are looking to cross the Rio Grande River at any cost.
Carlos Hernandez is from Mexico City and says he's been deported once. "I'll look for a strategic point to cross the river, I'm hoping to be able to make it" said Hernandez responding to the Minuteman presence along the border.
Central Americans housed at the Guadalupe Shelter say they are aware about the Minuteman group, the National Guard troops and the Border Patrol agents. But the need to help their families and no employment opportunities in their countries, are just some motivations to cross illegally to try to get to their American dream.
"We have to look for ways, we have to do everything possible to escape" said Ever Josué Herrera a Honduran seeking to cross into the United States. "We are asking God with our hearts that the Border Patrol is not in our way" said Herrera.
The Mexican Government has expressed concern with the Minuteman Project, and asks that state and federal measures be taken to safeguard the rights of Mexicans crossing the border illegally.
"If it happens, we are going to ask for the appropriate authority to take those people into custody, to take action against them because they are going to be violating the American law by taking justice into their own hands" said Miriam Medel when describing what the Mexican Consulate will do if they detect that a Minuteman volunteer comes in contact with or arrests a Mexican national trying to cross into the United States.
While condemning the act of detaining migrants by the Minuteman Project, the Mexican Government continues to look for mechanisms that ensure Mexican migration is legal, orderly and respectful to the United States.
The Minuteman's headquarters is planned to be in the area of Mission, Texas, they plan to be on public and also in private land.
Action 4 News has learned that because of the Minuteman's position in the Valley, some human smugglers are now charging between $2,000.00 to $2,500.00 dollars per person, to cross someone illegally into the United States and then taken to Houston.
"Carlos Hernandez is from Mexico City and says he's been deported once. "I'll look for a strategic point to cross the river, I'm hoping to be able to make it"
Carlos, "I'm really feeling good tonight" "I've been training for this event for about 6 months now" "Running 5 to 10 miles everyday" "Lifting some weights" "Eating a lot of high carb tortillas" "I think I'm gonna do well"
Seems a little odd when the Mexican govt doesn't seem all that interested in protecting their rights in Mexico....
I am tired of the hypocracy but even more tired of anyone who gives them the time of day and believes for one minute that this is anything but a ploy to dump massive numbers of their poor and uneducated so that they can continue to abuse their own people.
susie
That statement is hysterical on its face - but the fact that our government buys into the sentiment is anything but funny. Last time I checked the Minutemen are citizens (and, yes, patriots) and have a right to assemble peacefully anywhere they please. Their new motto should be "Doing the job our government won't do."
THANK YOU! They want to reap the benefits of our way of life without the sacrifice it took our forefathers to earn it. They need to better their own damn country. There are certainly millions of them here - if they all went home and demanded the things they are demanding here, their country would be better off for it.
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