U.S., Mexican legislators discuss border vigilantes
Posted on 11/24/2002 2:06:29 AM PST by MeekOneGOP
U.S., Mexican legislators discuss border vigilantes
States may take action against groups that target migrants
11/24/2002
NUEVO LAREDO, Mexico - U.S. and Mexican lawmakers expressed concern Saturday about a growing number of American vigilante groups that capture and sometimes hurt or kill Mexican migrants who cross into the United States illegally.
The fringe groups have sprung up in several border towns in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, where residents frustrated by U.S. border agents' inability to stop illegal migration have taken matters into their own hands, said Arizona state Rep. Robert Cannell.
Mr. Cannell said Arizona legislators will likely take up the issue of vigilante groups during the state's next legislative session. The Democrat said he was "strongly opposed" to the groups.
Mr. Cannell was one of eight U.S. state legislators - three from New Mexico, two from California, two from Arizona, and one from Texas - who joined 38 lawmakers from the six Mexican border states at the third annual legislative border forum in Nuevo Laredo.
In separate Binational Commission meetings on Monday and Tuesday in Mexico City, high-ranking U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Colin Powell, will hold talks with their Mexican counterparts on what to do about the estimated 3 million Mexicans working illegally in the United States.
New Mexico state Sen. Mary Jane Garcia said vigilante groups appeal to undereducated young men who feel that state and federal governments haven't done enough to protect towns along the border. The Democrat said the issue also needed urgent attention in the New Mexico legislature.
Also on Saturday, Chihuahua state lawmaker Cesar Castro Lopez called on investigators from the FBI and Britain's Scotland Yard to help solve the brutal slayings of women in Ciudad Juarez.
More than 75 women have been raped and killed since 1993 in Ciudad Juarez, the border's largest city. Dozens of suspects have been arrested, but bodies have continued to turn up in the desert.
Mr. Castro Lopez said that Mexican state and federal commissions assigned to investigate the crimes have failed to produce any concrete leads.
"It has become a financial issue of vital importance for those who do business on the border," he said, adding that violence in Juarez has begun to affect U.S. commercial interests, thus ensuring that the killings fall under U.S. jurisdiction.
The killings have "ruined the reputation of Ciudad Juarez in the eyes of the world," Mr. Castro Lopez said.
Mr. Cannell said Arizona legislators will likely take up the issue of vigilante groups during the state's next legislative session. The Democrat said he was "strongly opposed" to the groups.
So, then....the govt won't take effective action to stop illegals, but they want to stop those that want to stop it? Democrats trolling for Democrat votes again?.....
Don't get me wrong, folks. I've never advocated vigilant groups, most especially violence. It just seems two-faced of our government to not take proper action on illegal immigration but to threaten legal citizens for trying to stop it.
There now - that's better. Nothing like the media mileading the public, is there?
Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my Texas or General interest ping list!
Name just ONE border intruder (NOT "Mexican migrant") hurt or killed by one of these so-called "American vigilante groups"!
AP is a bunch of lying bastards! I intend to freep them over this one.
The article states that there is, "a growing number of American vigilante groups that capture and sometimes hurt or kill Mexican migrants who cross into the United States illegally." If that is true, the hurt and kill part, it's rather interesting that US Citizens have not been arrested or charged with such activity. Is the Mexican government suggesting our government dosen't take assault and murder seriously north of the border?
Once again quoting from the article, "'The fringe groups have sprung up...', said Arizona state Rep. Robert Cannell." I don't consider farmers who wish to protect their land, posessions and family from illegal immigrant interlopers, to be a "fringe group." These folks are as mainstream as it gets. US Citizens want the border brought under control by 70%. So who is the fringe individual here? That's right Cannell, you are. "The Democrat said he was 'strongly opposed' to the groups." Well he's the one who swore an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States. Either he should do it or resign.
"New Mexico state Senator Mary Jane Garcia said, 'vigilante groups appeal to undereducated young men who feel that state and federal governments haven't done
enough to protect towns along the border.' The Democrat said the issue also needed urgent attention in the New Mexico legislature." Well the folks I've seen on the television are college educated people, former law enforcement officers and former members of the military. I guess that's three pretty problematic groups according ot this ill-informed state senator.
Perhaps the single most outlandish portion of this report, is the attempt to drag criminality south of the border into the debate over the patrols. Without missing a beat the article continues, "Also on Saturday, Chihuahua state lawmaker Cesar Castro Lopez called on investigators from the FBI and Britain's Scotland Yard to help solve the brutal slayings of women in Ciudad Juarez."
Unless you're paying attention here, it almost sounds as if the writer is talking about activity instigated by the "vigilantes" (refered to by folks without an ax to grind as patrols). Read on, "More than 75 women have been raped and killed since 1993 in Ciudad Juarez, the border's largest city. Dozens of suspects have been arrested, but bodies have continued to turn up in the desert." Here we are talking about the subject of the patrols, which these elected officials can't come grips with, then the article launches into stories of rapes and killings without making much of the fact that the patrols aren't involved at all. They don't operate south of the borders. They have nothing to do with these crimes, and nobody said they did. But lumped in with this article, the intimation is clear.
Read this:
"Mr. Castro Lopez said that Mexican state and federal commissions assigned to investigate the crimes have failed to produce any concrete leads. 'It has become a financial issue of vital importance for those who do business on the border,' he said, adding that violence in Juarez has begun to affect U.S. commercial interests, thus ensuring that the killings fall under U.S. jurisdiction. The killings have 'ruined the reputation of Ciudad Juarez in the eyes of the world,' Mr. Castro Lopez said."
Excuse me, but it is not the job of the United States to solve crimes taking place in Mexico. None the less Chihuahua state lawmaker Cesar Castro Lopes calls on the United States and Scotland Yard to solve the crimes. Why? "Becuase it affects US commercial interests. Thus it ensures that the killings fall under US Jurisdiction." Now there's a Democrat in the making!
I don't know who's elected officials are the bigger fools. Is it the Mexican lawmaker that screws over the US Citizen then bitches when those citizens take reasoned measures to stop it? Is it the US lawmaker who watches on and blames the US Citizen without so much as an inadvertent burp in the presence of Mexican Officials? Or is it this Lopes who calls in US Law Enforcement and Interpole rather than slam his own leader Fox for not taking more action on the issue?
This border mess just gets wierder and wierder.
What a bunch of crap. Yesterday I watched live feed on Barnett's Ranch on the Douglas/Mexico border. It started as just a test of their motion sensors and satellites and cameras. Then they got a signal of movement and traveled to the site. I then saw 3 illegals, 2 walking and one on a bicycle. Another camera showed a member of the citizen patrol on a cell phone.
Then we saw 2 US Border Patrol vehicles meet up with him and proceed to follow him to the location of the illegals. Between the time these guys were spotted and when the Border Patrol caught up with them, no one from the citizen group ever approached them. They were strolling along, unaware of the cameras and the motion detectors. The work of the citizen patrol was all done out of sight of these lawbreakers. It was all done with a well thought out plan and $30,000 worth of hi tech equipment.
With photo evidence of all encounters, it will be hard for our "Lawmakers" to keep up these claims of injury and murder being committed by these fine people.
Absolutely. This is one of the most unprofessional, dishonest, and disgusting pieces of "journalism" I have read in a long time.
It should not suprise us that AP wrote it. This week, AP and AP Radio News led with Daschle's screed--followed by AP inserting that "Daschle and his family have been the targets of Anthrax attacks."------suggesting talk radio fans tried to kill him.
We all have the basic right to protect our own lives and those of our family, our homes and our property.
How will they legislate these rights away?
Since when have facts stopped a politician from lying?
Leftist media lies and distortion once again.
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