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More Pictures of the Protest
American Border Patrol report:

VIPs Visit Overrun Arizona-Sonora Border - 3/15/03
American Border Patrol Was there

BLACKHAWK HELICOPTERS LIFT VIPS OFF RANCH
McCain, Kyl, Kolbe and Grijalva end tour at Lad Ranch

Palominas, AZ (ABP) March 15 -- Following a visit to the Border Patrol station at Naco and the Naco Port of Entry, the VIP tour of the border ended with a luncheon at the expansive Lad Ranch in a remote area of Southeast Arizona. American Border Patrol cameras got close enough to capture this photo of two of the three Blackhawk helicopters that took the VIPs away.

ARIZONANS PROTEST FAILURE TO CONTROL BORDER
Demonstration at Naco Border Patrol Station one of largest in recent memory

Arizonans line road leading into Naco Border Patrol station.

Signs express concern over "invasion" "drugs".

Convoy of VIPs leaves Naco Border Patrol station enroute to Naco border crossing point.

American Border Patrol Mobile Satellite Transmitter (MIST) unit in front of Naco Border Patrol station.

Richard Humphries ABP Board Member on VIP Tour
Naco (ABP) 3/15/03 -- Unexpectedly, American Border Patrol board member Richard Humphries became a part of the official VIP tour of the Naco border area. After a brief meeting at the Copper Queen hotel in Bisbee, Humphries was not only asked to speak at the breakfast meeting, he gave Senator McCain a ride to the Naco Border Patrol station and, later to the Naco Port of Entry where he again addressed the group. Humphries identified himself as a board member of ABP and reminded the audience that Rep. Grijalva had once called people like him "cockroaches." All in all, his comments were friendly and even handed, observers noted. Humphries is a former undercover drug agent and pilot for the state of Arizona., and a former Phantom fighter pilot.

See Saturday, 3/15/03 PM feature

Americans Protest at Naco BP Station
Visit by McCain, Kyl and Others Draws Complaints from Arizonans

Naco, Arizona (ABP - 3/15/03) -- A vocal crowd of about sixty protesters held signs complaining about the open border as Arizona Senators McCain and Kyle, joined by Representatives Kolbe and Grijalva, toured the troubled border area near Naco, Arizona. One sign read "Spending Billions, Missing Millions, Fire Those Responsible." While the dignitaries were meeting inside the Border Patrol Headquarters, American Border Patrol video taped four people sneaking across the border less than three miles away. (More later)

Here is Luke Turf's article from today's Tucson Citizen...my comments to follow shortly.

Border security chief draws protesters on both sides of immigration issue

Luke Turf Tucson Citizen March 16, 2003

BISBEE - A visit by the official in charge of U.S. border security drew protesters from both sides of the illegal immigration issue yesterday.

About 20 protesters supporting amnesty for illegal immigrants and a guest worker program picketed outside a meeting here attended by Asa Hutchinson, undersecretary for border and transportation security at the Department of Homeland Security.

"We need a visitor workers program," said protester Paul Tompkins, a Palominas resident, who said he wants to avoid buying food harvested by illegal immigrants who risk their lives crossing Arizona's harsh desert.

When Hutchinson later visited the Border Patrol station in Naco, about 50 protesters lined the streets. Unlike their Bisbee counterparts, the protesters wanted the federal government to take more action to keep illegal immigrants out of Arizona.

"We have lived in a war zone for six years," said B.J. Kuykendall, who lives on a ranch about 30 miles north of the border. Kuykendall said illegal immigrants "have trashed our ranch, they have trashed our livelihood."

Hutchinson was joined in a two-day tour of the Arizona border by Arizona Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl, and southern Arizona congressmen Raúl Grijalva and Jim Kolbe. The tour ended yesterday.

At the Bisbee meeting, Douglas Mayor Ray Borane told Hutchinson a guest-worker program would help stem the flow of illegal immigration.

"I think (border enforcement) is a losing battle," Borane said. "First and foremost we have to recognize it's a labor problem"

Borane also pleaded with Hutchinson to keep the border open for commerce in the face of heightened security prompted by terrorism concerns. Between 60 percent and 75 percent of Douglas' economy depends on Mexicans shoppers, he said.

"We want to keep the borders open," Hutchinson replied.

I'm glad to see that there are protests on the border.