Border volunteers accused of holding man against will

Well, there's conflicting stories on this one... the complaint by the immigrant (doesn't say he was an illegal, by the way) and the "oh, we was just funning we didn't do it" part by the militia.

Y'know, the border patrol doesn't do this. And if the cops forced this on suspects, there would be a real revolt -- you're innocent till you're convicted.

Immigrant says he was forced to pose for photo
Thursday, April 7, 2005 Posted: 10:32 AM EDT (1432 GMT)

TUCSON, Arizona (AP) -- Three volunteers patrolling the border for illegal immigrants were being investigated after a man told authorities he was held against his will and forced to pose for a picture holding a T-shirt with a mocking slogan.

The volunteers said they were members of the Minuteman Project -- a monthlong effort that has people from around the country fanned out along the border to report undocumented migrants and smugglers. Law enforcement officials have said they fear the project will lead to vigilante violence.

Border Patrol agents called in deputies from the Cochise County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday afternoon to report that an immigrant was detained by three men who identified themselves as project volunteers.

Carol Capas, a sheriff's office spokeswoman, said the 26-year-old Mexican man told agents he was physically restrained and forced to hold a shirt while his picture was taken and he was videotaped.

I particularly like this next paragraph...

Barton is one of the three volunteers. He told agents that they waved the man over to them, offered him food and water, and gave him the T-shirt and money before the Border Patrol arrived.

They're offering their victim MONEY??? It really sounds like they knew they were going to get in trouble for their actions (which by the way are illegal) and are trying to buy off the guy that they caught.

Perhaps it was because they caught themselves a LEGAL American immigrant?

Or maybe it's just part of their new plan where they stand at the border and throw money at illegals to keep them in Mexico?? Uhm... right. That'll do it, I'm sure.


And in other news in that same article, the Border Patrol is capturing FEWER illegals in the areas where the militia are... "helping."
www.cnn.com...


[edit on 7-4-2005 by Indellkoffer]

"All they did was provide water and wait for the Border Patrol," Minuteman spokesman Grey Deacon said. "What's the big deal?"

The Mexican man remained in custody Thursday and will be going through formal proceedings to send him back to his country, Border Patrol spokeswoman Andrea Zortman said.

Apparantly he was illegal otherwise they probably wouldnt be sending him back to his country. They may be catching ferew immigrants, probably because fewer are trying to get in where they happen to notice hundreds of armerd americans waiting for them on the other side!!! Its called cause and effect. Do we have proof to show that more illegals have managed to infilitrate the border because of their presence? Now of course the fact they are tripping some sensors is unfortunate. I continue to support them however. My parents made it to this country legally during the 70's and my father grew up on a farm in Colombia!! Instead of paying hundreds or thousand to get into the country illegally, they could just as easily be putting that money to use in getting them here legally.

Of course now is not the 70's and times are different. But your will to do the right thing shouldnt change just because of the times.