Border Patrol: More undocumented immigrants arriving armed

Quepasa!com ^ | DOMINGO 26 DE ENERO DEL 2003?

[GrandMoM]

Douglas, U.S., January 23, 2003 (EFE)- The U.S. Border Patrol is reporting an increase in the number of detained undocumented immigrants carrying weapons, which could be a response to gun-toting vigilante groups operating on the north side of the frontier.

In fewer than four months, Border Patrol agents in the Tucson district have reported 12 arrests of undocumented immigrants carrying knives or handguns - twice the number reported over the past two years.

Agents last week reported being fired upon while on patrol in the desert as well as the confiscation of three pistols from migrants, Border Patrol spokesman Frank Amarillas said.

Jen Allen, assistant director of the Border Action Network, an immigrant rights group, said the only ones to blame for the rising incidence of undocumented immigrants crossing the border with weapons are the civilian patrol groups, which - she claimed - operate freely in the region.

"Immigrants have heard about these paramilitary groups patrolling the border carrying weapons and rifles," said Allen. "They are afraid of being attacked."

The presence of such groups has only served to increase tension among area residents, she said, describing the situation as "a time bomb."

So far, not a single undocumented immigrant has offered any resistance when stopped by vigilantes or ranchers, she added.

David Cheyney, spokesman for the Texas-based Ranch Rescue group said the presence of armed immigrant smugglers and drug runners in the Arizona desert is the main reason why he and his colleagues carry semi-automatic rifles.

In the event of a possible attack, "I'm sure that none of our members will hesitate in defending himself," Cheyney said.

He acknowledged that his group, which makes "citizen's arrests" of immigrants, has yet to detain an undocumented immigrant carrying a weapon.

Chris Simcox, owner and editor of the Tombstone Tumbleweed newspaper and founder of the group Homeland Defense, said members of his organization have been fired on three times while patrolling the border.

Simcox, 42, said death threats he has received since setting up the civilian patrol have led him to carry his .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol with him wherever he goes.

Reports of an increase in the number of armed undocumented migrants crossing the border were received skeptically by some local activists.

Isabel Garcia, an immigration attorney and the director of the Arizona Human Rights Coalition, questioned the veracity of the Border Patrol figures.

The federal agency may be doctoring the numbers in an effort to attract a bigger budget, she added.

"That way, they keep on militarizing the border," Garcia said.

The proliferation of paramilitary groups has only served to complicate things, increasing the likelihood of tragedies occurring, she said.

"They're shameless and even resort to posting pictures on the Internet of groups of undocumented immigrants they have stopped, as if they were trophies," she said, pointing to a video on the Web page of a group calling itself American Patrol.

The video features a step-by-step account of how members go about detecting and detaining undocumented immigrants.

Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) has called for a congressional investigation into the activities of the vigilante groups and their tax-exempt status. EFE

[agitator]

What a load of unmitigated CRAP. Here they are trying to palm off the increase in apprehension in armed coyotes and drug smugglers on the fact that Americans are trying to protect themselves. Where was the barf alert on this one?

[TightSqueeze]

The U.S. Border Patrol is reporting an increase in the number of detained undocumented immigrants carrying weapons...

More often than not, they were found toting the discarded metal flatware once used in the coach section of airliners.

[Madame Dufarge]

Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) has called for a congressional investigation into the activities of the vigilante groups and their tax-exempt status. EFE

Another "American" voice heard from. Could the RATS get more loathesome?

[Karsus]

"When U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, Colorado Republican, said recently that illegal aliens should be deported, not given in-state tuition, Karl Rove, the Power Behind the Bush, told Mr. Tancredo never again to darken the steps of the White House."

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/827781/posts?page=4#4

[Tripleplay]

"Immigrants have heard about these paramilitary groups patrolling the border carrying weapons and rifles," said Allen. "They are afraid of being attacked."

Hey Jen Allen!..........I can asure them of complete safety.................stay in thier own country!

[Lizavetta]

Jen Allen, assistant director of the Border Action Network, an immigrant rights group, said the only ones to blame for the rising incidence of undocumented immigrants crossing the border with weapons are the civilian patrol groups, which - she claimed - operate freely in the region.

News flash to Ms. Allen.....your 'undocumented' (read ILLEGAL) immigrants are not supposed to be in 'the region'. The civilian patrol groups, you see, OWN THE PROPERTY ON WHICH THE ILLEGALS ARE TRESPASSING.

This sounds like those lawyers who prosecute homeowners who shoot the burglarizing trespassers.

[Route66]

"Well, Your Honor, I was armed when I broke into the house because I heard that the homeowner had a gun - and I thought I might need it for self-defense."

[nothingnew]

Keep it up socialists. When the true citizens have finally had enough of your utopian and socialist views, and are being investigated and harassed for protecting this country, it's values, their property and families and it's CONSTITUTION, they WILL come after you....BE FOREWARNED!...It's coming to your ivory towers, with a VENGEANCE.

FMCDH!

FMCDH

[Free the USA]

fyi

[junta]

"Armed" then it is true it is an invasion. It must be stopped.

[Texas_Jarhead]

touche

[underdog]

Jen Allen, assistant director of the Border Action Network, an immigrant rights group, said the only ones to blame for the rising incidence of undocumented immigrants crossing the border with weapons are the civilian patrol groups, which - she claimed - operate freely in the region.

---

The immigrant rights group? Shouldn't they be called the Illegal aliens rights group?

So civilians protecting their own property/and or requesting help from other American citizens are now responsibe for the waves of illigegal aliens?

I suppose they should just "freely" walk across the border?

On a good note....civilian groups are responsible for the wave of reported undocumented incidences means that these groups are obviously doing what they've set out to do...(as opposed to the INS/Border Patrol who's actual job IT IS, that they're obviously NOT doing.)

[underdog]

http://www.ranchrescue.com/

[philetus]

Their trying to take away our right to defend our own lives and our country.

When? they succeed in making the civilian patrol groups stop, it should be a slap in the face to everyone.

To me, just the fact that the government does NOT listen to the will of the people should be a slap in the face to everyone.

I should get back to the topic of this post.
Why will the government NOT do something about the illegal situation? It's sucking the funds out of schools, hospitals, welfare systems and it's turning some of our cities into battle grounds.
Because the polititions want the illegals votes and they don't believe the strife it is causing will ever touch them personally.

Polititions BELIEVE they are part of the human elite and the people they care about, they protect and help(translation: they make their friends and family rich and part of the "in crowd".
The rest of us are just something they have to put up with.

I don't believe for a second that my Governor(Grey), or Bush or any of them could care less if I starve or get shot to death.There's millions like me, what's one less or a hundred or a thousand.

The government doesn't want the common people to have guns.
Not because of crime or "for the children", but because sleazy polititions do sleazy things that screw the American people and the polititions are afraid of an armed population.

[JackelopeBreeder]

Speaking as a citizen of Cochise County and active member of American Border Patrol, there is a much simpler reason why the coyotes and smugglers are showing up armed more often and it has nothing to do with fearing any of the civilian groups will attack them.

The truth is that the smuggling of immigrants was taken over by the drug cartels as a diversification of interests, and a very profitable one at that. The cartels can handle immigrants using their existing drug smuggling operation and even put them to use as "mules" carrying the merchandise.

Looked at in that light, Ranch Rescue, Homeland Defense and American Border Patrol are starting to be a real nuisance to a multibillion dollar, multinational illegal business enterprise. Smugglers who lose shipments have a very rough time trying to explain failures to the boss.

[SealSeven]

Im Speechless -

[Madame Dufarge]

True enough.

Stupidity all over the place. I just don't get it.

[Blue Collar Christian]

THERE YOU GO!!COUNT ME IN!! and the sooner the better.

[Blue Collar Christian]

You guys are feeling the results of the rule;"No good deed goes unpunished." Carry on, gentlemen.