http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... 03-ON.html

Border Patrol clarifies reported sightings of migrants

Associated Press
Apr. 3, 2006 05:46 PM


TUCSON- The U.S. Border Patrol has received calls from the Minuteman border watch group reporting sightings of illegal immigrants days into the group's monthlong Arizona operation.

Johnny Bernal, a spokesman for the patrol's Tucson sector which encompasses most of the Arizona-Mexico border, said Monday that he wanted to clarify an earlier misstatement that he had not seen a single report of any sightings.

"What I meant was that we have had no negative reports involving the Minutemen as far as assaults, violations of human rights, holding people at gunpoint," Bernal said. "As far as them calling in information, that has happened numerous times."

Chris Simcox, national leader of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, said Minuteman volunteers called the Border Patrol's Tucson sector to report sightings of 298 people believed to be illegal immigrants between Saturday afternoon and Monday afternoon, including 85 people seen from an airplane.

Bernal said his office had not totaled the calls received, but that "at this point, my office does not have anything to contest their claims."

"I appreciate their positive statement, and we appreciate their help and we're honored to be able to assist them in strengthening homeland security," Simcox said.

In Arizona, the Minutemen are operating near Three Points, about 35 miles north of the Mexican border. A few hundred volunteers are manning patrol lines along some 20 miles of private ranch land looking for intruders. They are to call or radio the Border Patrol with any sightings.

This is only the most recent border operation for the volunteer group. The initial patrol in April 2005 created widespread controversy, with civil rights groups and the Border Patrol saying they feared the potential for violence created by the presence of armed civilians on the border. No violent incidents were reported, however.

Border Patrol agents apprehended 23 people in one group Monday afternoon, bringing the total apprehensions to 82 people out of 298 sightings the Minutemen have reported since the operation began, Simcox said.

Five illegal immigrants stumbled onto the ranch from which the Minutemen are operating, asking for food, he said.

Volunteers also rescued a woman who had been abandoned by a smuggler and was wandering by herself for the past few days.

Simcox said three large groups of people rushed through Minuteman observer lines at once Sunday after congregating at nearby water stations operated by a humanitarian group.

Minutemen also have called in 18 sightings near San Diego and 60 in New Mexico.