‘Minuteman Project’ Got Press But Much of It Was Critical
April 20, 2005

by Joseph P. Tartaro
Executive Editor

March ended and April began with a surfeit of big-time news stories.

The traditional electronic and print media—and even the alternative Internet news sources—were focused on stories with big legs. First there was the Terri Schiavo story that seemed to dominate the news with its dependant debates about the role of the courts and the Congress in such a conflict of purposes and ideals.

Then, as she was being put to rest, a weakening Pope John Paul II died and set off more wall to wall coverage with speculation about the election of his successor. This pope’s passing has had a huge impact on people. Even as this column is being written another million or so people of all religions and nations are still lined up to view his remains at the Vatican.

To many his impact on world events was something unique. During his long life he fought against Nazi fascism, the Communist Soviets and at times the leaders of western countries. He reached out to Jews and Muslims as well as other Christians and he traveled to some 120 countries, many while afflicted by Parkinson’s disease and other health problems, including the vestiges of his 1981 assasination wounds. Along the way he contributed to the downfall of world communism and helped restore freedom in many Eastern European countries, including his own native Poland.

Some of his doctrines and pronouncements were controversial, but gunowners may recall as the story of papal succession unfolds that he was a hunter himself as a young man, supported hunting and promulgated a church doctrine in favor of national and person self-defense.

The general media was so engrossed in the story of his death, burial and succession that they gave scant coverage to another story that was slated to be the top news at the beginning of April. I refer to the reportage of the grassroots “Minuteman Project” in which volunteers—some legally armed, some not—were to begin watching the Mexican/Arizona border to report incursions by illegal aliens.

The story was fairly hot in February and March, but it got overshadowed by other news. Still, it resonated with many and forced people and organizations to take sides for and against the volunteer border watchers.

Overall the story was a simple one. Americans in the Southwest who had become increasingly concerned about the constant flow of illegals across the border and the lack of government interest in funding more Border Patrol and Immigration agents decided to watch the border and report illegals to government authorities. They clearly stated that they would not take action to prevent illegal entries, but merely record and report such border crossings to federal agents. In fact, they said they would provide water and rest assistance to illegals that they encountered.

In short, they volunteers to provide more eyes and ears to help the authorities do the job that the federal government did not seem willing to perform at a level that has become especially necessary since the advent of terrorist attacks on US soil. It sounded like a reasonable approach.

But others intervened in this country and in Mexico.

On Mar. 23 President Bush said he opposed a civilian project to monitor illegal aliens crossing the border, characterizing them as “vigilantes.”

He said he would pressure Congress to further loosen immigration law.

His statement came a day after a continental summit, with Mexican President Vicente Fox and Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin at Baylor University.

The Minuteman Project was born out of a long-held perception among many residents that more Border Patrol agents are needed to handle the flow of illegal immigrants.

Bush had been criticized by both Republicans and Democrats for failing to add 2,000 agents to the Border Patrol, as set out in the intelligence overhaul legislation he signed in December.

The Minutemen’s presence set off some protests from immigrant-rights groups, and Mexican President Vicente Fox called on the US government to protect illegal immigrants coming across the desert.

At first, the President’s 2006 budget allowed enough money to add only 210 agents for the US borders with Canada and Mexico, but that changed, and principally because of the “Minuteman Project.” But as of Apr. 1, the day volunteers on foot, in vehicles and in small planes were to begin their border surveillance, the number of Border Patrol agents assigned to the Mexican/Arizona border was increased by more than 500 agents.

Even if the “Minutemen” disbanded at that point, they would have forced the government into action. But that isn’t the end of the story.

The Tucson Citizen reported that the illegals from Mexico have been keeping their own eyes on the “Minutemen” to determine a good time to cross the border.

Associated Press reported that the Border Patrol is complaining about the volunteers, claiming that they are disrupting Border Patrol operations by unwittingly tripping sensors that alert agents to possible intruders. They claim that the volunteers have made the Border Patrol’s job tougher because in addition to watching out for illegal aliens and drug smugglers, now the agents have to be on the alert for the “untrained” volunteers.

Some newspapers, such as The Washington Post, have implied unfairly that the “Minutemen” volunteers are “immigration opponents,” while other newspapers and organizations have called them right-wing extremists.

The debate over illegal immigration gets pretty heated sometimes, and that’s unfortunate. The “Minutemen” organizers have said nothing to suggest that they are against legal immigration. Nor have they made any racists or ethnic comments.

The American public which has been observing the ongoing debate seems to be favoring the volunteers at this point. The concept is gaining converts.

Albuquerque, NM, City Councilman David Pfeffer said he wants to bring the Minuteman Project to New Mexico. Pfeffer said he wants to be personally involved in the volunteer effort to patrol the border for illegal immigrants and smugglers.

WorldNetDaily.com reported that the “Minutemen” aided in the apprehension of 141 illegals in the second day of their operations. Other news and Internet reports provided other and higher numbers, which Gun Week was unable to confirm. There were no adverse incidents reported, but some media claimed that the “Minutemen” had discovered few illegals. Others chose to focus on criticism of the project.

It’s still early days as this is written on Apr. 6, but it will be interesting to see how this story plays out.

If there is a bottom line so far, it may be that contained in a NewsMax.com report from Monterrey, Mexico. The report said:

Four Iraqis were detained at an airport in the border city of Mexicali for allegedly carrying false passports, and two more were caught at a highway checkpoint, Mexican authorities said on Apr. 5.

The four Iraqis arrived at the airport in Mexicali, across from Calexico, CA, on a flight from Mexico City and were detained after immigration officials discovered the Dutch passports they were carrying were false, said Abraham Sarabia, an attorney general spokesman in Baja California state, where Mexicali is located.

Once in custody they told authorities they intended to sneak into the United States, that they started their journey in Greece, traveled to Spain and then to Mexico City.

About the same time, Mexican soldiers detained two Iraqi men traveling on Greek passports at a roadside checkpoint near Mexicali.

It’s not just Mexicans and Central Americans illegally crossing the borer in search of a job and a better life for themselves or their families. There’s still the continuing problem of drug smugglers, and the newer threat of terrorists.

The idea of Iraqis traveling on phony Dutch and Greek passports through Mexico to the US border should cause a lot of people to wake up.
Return to Archive Index