Thread: Militia Threatens to Block Traffic at International Bridges

Law enforcement readies for possible port protest

Curt Prendergast
DeConcini Port of Entry

Nogales police and U.S. Customs and Border Protection say they are prepared for a possible attempt to shut down the Dennis DeConcini Port of Entry on Saturday morning.

Posted: Wednesday, September 17, 2014 2:12 pm | Updated: 4:28 pm, Wed Sep 17, 2014.

By Murphy Woodhouse
Nogales International

City and federal law enforcement agencies say they are prepared for a potential protest Saturday morning at the Dennis DeConcini Port of Entry by a group that hopes to block access to Mexico at U.S. land ports of entry.

The Nogales Police Department is making “additional resources available,” said Lt. Carlos Jimenez, while a spokeswoman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Nogales said in an emailed statement that the agency “has contingency plans ready to put into place in the event of any protest or a temporary blockage of traffic at our international border crossings.”

The CBP representative declined to discuss the specifics of those plans, citing security concerns.

According to the protest’s website, the “Shut Down all Ports of Entry” action seeks to, as its name suggests, “shut down every United States port of entry on the southern border until our goals our met.”

Those goals, according to Indiana-based protest organizer Rob Chupp, include the immediate release of active-duty Marine Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi, who was arrested in April in Mexico for bringing loaded weapons into the country after apparently making a wrong turn into the San Ysidro port of entry in Southern California.

Chupp’s group also wants the U.S. government to “secure our borders and protect the citizens in America from foreign threats.”

Among other things, a mission statement released by organizers demands, “[a] clear plan of action and confirmed intent to permanently seal off our Southern border, by means of a military grade fence with razor wire (or similar equivalent) and adding any and all additional Border Patrol Agents and militarized National Guard members needed to further deter any unauthorized entry. The Southern border MUST be sealed.”

Stasyi Barth, the Southern California-based originator of the protest, confirmed that the DeConcini port would be one of 17 ports of entry along the southern border targeted by protesters and one of four in Arizona.

Chupp claimed that an unnamed federal law enforcement body had advised the group to avoid certain ports because of potential threats from the Islamic State in the Levant, the terrorist group known by the initials ISIS or ISIL.

The border-wide action is planned to begin at 8 a.m. local time.

To shut ports of entry down, Chupp said, participants will use their personal vehicles to block outgoing and incoming traffic.

“We’re going pull in, park cars, and basically protest,” he said.

A list of recommended guidelines put out by organizers states that “[p]atriots need to arrive in separate vehicles to ensure that we have enough to block each lane of the freeway. If you have a larger vehicle (for example: semis, trucks, RVs, horse trailers), that would help to cover more space. Use your imagination!”

If participants park near the DeConcini port and walk away, Jimenez said, their vehicles will likely be towed and impounded and their owners fined. If the vehicles are left on federal property, the Federal Protective Service will take charge, while NPD will address blockages on city streets. Guidelines from organizers advise protesters to keep their vehicles off of federal property.

While organizers claim that hundreds will attend the events border-wide, Jimenez said he expects the turnout to be modest and, despite NPD’s preparations, he expressed some doubt about the protest’s potential impact.

“They’re really disorganized and not really prepared,” he said of the organizers. “They don’t have a leader or point of contact in Arizona.”

“I don’t think a lot of those people want their car towed,” he added.
Whatever happens, Jimenez said, NPD is ready.

“We’re preparing for the worst, expecting the least,” he said.

http://www.nogalesinternational.com/...aa7c228ea.html

AMERICAS

Patriot Group Promises to Shut Down Ports of Entry Along US-Mexico Border

By Eva Hershaw
September 18, 2014 | 12:15 pm

This Saturday, a loosely organized coalition of individuals described as "unsettled and deeply concerned" with the course of American government plans to shut down ports of entry between the United States and Mexico to protest illegal immigration, demand the release of a Marine detained in Mexico, and express general concern about the direction in which the nation is headed.

The demonstration, which organizers had boldly billed "Shut Down All Ports of Entry" before downsizing their ambitions for the sake of efficacy, hopes to block 17 of the 63 ports of entry in California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas that are listed on the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) website.

Stacyi Barth, a 41-year-old mother of three and former computer programmer who is spearheading the protest, told VICE News that the attempted shutdown comes in response to what she described as a "deep, widespread sentiment that the country is being lost."

Migrant Children: Undocumented and Underage. Watch here.

"We're going to stay at the bridges until our demands are met," she said. "We have a Marine that has been wrongly imprisoned in Mexico and abandoned by the government.

We need to bring him back to his mom and dad immediately. Second, we need to seal off the southern border."

Barth was referring to Andrew Tahmooressi, a former Marine sergeant who was detained in Mexico after crossing the border with three loaded weapons. His case has become a cause célèbre among those who fault the Obama administration for what they believe to be weak border security. The 25-year-old has been in the custody of Mexican authorities since March 31, when his Ford pickup truck took a controversial turn across the US-Mexico border into Tijuana.

Tahmooressi claims that he entered on accident. If convicted of illegally possessing guns and ammunition, he could be sentenced to as many as 14 years in prison.

Mexico is implementing new measures to curb influx of US-bound Central American migrants. Read more here.

Barth will lead a protest on Saturday at the San Ysidro border crossing south of San Diego, the same spot where Tahmooressi entered Mexico more than five months ago. If everything goes according to plan, protesters approaching the border on Interstate 5 will shut off their vehicles ("the bigger the better," Barth said) at 8 AM PST and block traffic.

"From what I've been told, law enforcement cannot tow a vehicle if you are in that vehicle," Barth said in a messageposted to the event's Facebook page. Though it's not known how many people expect to participate, Barth and her collaborators believe they will have the numbers to carry out their plan.

While early press reports suggested that border militia groups were behind the plan to shut down southern ports of entry into the US, the organizers have called for a peaceful protest and are attempting to distance themselves from the militia groups known to informally patrol the US-Mexico border.

Barth hasn't seen fit to ask that protesters leave their firearms at home, however.

Unauthorized immigrants paid $100 billion into social security over the last decade. Read more here.

"I don't want an armed standoff," she told VICE News, "but if people want to come in civilian clothes in Texas, for example, where they are proud to carry firearms, I won't tell them not to. That's their right."

But the prospect of armed protesters airing grievances along the border alarms people like Israel Reyna, a lawyer and immigrant rights advocate with Rio Grande Legal Aid and a long-time resident of Laredo, Texas — the largest inland port of entry in the nation, and one of the 17 sites targeted by the protest. In 2012, more than 12 million vehicles crossed the border at Laredo.

"These patriot groups and militia, they come from outside and they don't come here as friends — they are foe," he told VICE News. "We don't want anyone toting a gun down here who is willing to shoot it according to their views."

Local law enforcement and federal agencies will be closely monitoring developments along the nearly 2,000-mile border on Saturday. In Texas, CBP officials are coordinating plans of action with local police departments.

"Customs and Border Protection has contingency plans ready to put into place in the event of any protest or a temporary blockage of traffic at our international bridges," Rick Pauza, the public affairs officer for CBP in southern Texas, said in a statement to VICE News. "Our primary concern is to ensure the safety of our officers and the traveling public."

If successful, Shut Down All Ports will have halted traffic on some of most important trade routes into the country.

Barth's group has noted that it doesn't intend to lift its obstruction until the US and Mexican governments accede to its "non-negotiable" demands, which include the unconditional release of Tahmooresi, sealing the border to illegal entrants by erecting an electrified fence, having Mexico pay for half of the cost of processing and returning illegal immigrants, and ending all US government assistance to those of them within the country.

"There are a lot of reasons for us to do what we are doing. It's our duty to enforce laws that our government won't," Barth said. "A lot of Americans don't recognize their country anymore, and it's our job as 'We the People' to get this done."

She and her fellow organizers are scrambling to coordinate meeting points and plans of action while tending their toll-free hotline — "the next available patriot will answer your call" — and informing protesters of their rights as Americans.

Meanwhile, residents like Reyna hope that the group's attempt at civil disobedience falls flat.

"They come to Laredo because the border is symbolic and because they will get more media attention," he said. "But they won't get any support from people down here."

https://news.vice.com/article/patrio...-mexico-border

by Bob Price 18 Sep 2014, 5:08 AM PDT
breitbart

HOUSTON, Texas -- Plans to shut down ports of entry between the United States and Mexico by a citizen protest group are being finalized. The list of ports includes six Texas ports, four in Arizona, two in New Mexico and five in California. Organizers say this is the final list and plan to move forward on all ports listed.

“This event is for Patriotic Americans who feel strongly about our nation’s sovereignty and bringing our Marine, Sgt. Tahmooressi, home,” said event organizer Stasyi Barth in a statement posted on the groups website. Sgt. Tahmooressi is being held in a Mexican jail for allegedly entering Mexico with weapons that are illegal in that country. He claims the entry was accidental.

Clarifying her previous comments about militia groups not being welcome in the protest, Barth said, “This is NOT a militia event,” Barth explained. “No militia groups have been involved in the organizing of this event, nor are they planning on participating. The mere mention of ‘militia’ draws fear and headlines, which is obviously the intent of the media.”

“We are standing up for law enforcement, not against them,” she continued. “This is a peaceful protest to air our grievances to our government, as allowed by the Constitution.”

In Texas, the group plans on blocking ports of entry located at Laredo, Rio Grande City, Presidio, Hildago, Brownsville and Del Rio. One of the leaders in Texas told another media outlet they have about 200 people lined up in Texas and expect more to just show up at the scene.

California protests are scheduled for Calexico West, Calexico East, Stay Mesa, Tecate and San Ysidro. New Mexico protests are planned for Columbus and Santa Theresa while in Arizona, the ports of entry of Naco, Nogales, Douglas and San Luis are planned for closure.

“This event is for you, every patriotic American, to express your grievances in a safe and peaceful way,” Barth said on her website. As far as firearms Barth explained, “Yes, some states allow you to carry a firearm and I will not impede on that right. However, please keep it hidden and safely away from others.”

The website details out rules of conduct for event attendees to adhere to in order to assure the safety of all involved on both sides of the protest. She said she is anticipating counter protests and encourages all participants to not engage them. “They will say angry, hateful and vile things; do not respond” Barth continued. “They are looking for news coverage that they can point to, proving you are the bad guy.”

The events are all scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. CDT (8 a.m. PDT)

http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-T...Moving-Forward

by Bob Price 18 Sep 2014, 12:16 PM PDT
breitbart



HOUSTON, Texas -- The family of the U.S. Marine being held in a Mexican jail for entering Mexico with firearms has denounced the “Shut Down All Ports of Entry” protest planned for this weekend. Event organizers are listing support for Marine Sergeant Andrew Tahmooressi as one of the main reasons for this action to shut down the ports of entry between the United States and Mexico. Sgt. Tahmooressi is being held in a Mexican jail for allegedly entering Mexico with firearms in his vehicle.

“The family would like to make clear that we believe any plan to shut down border crossings is not an acceptable way to protest Andrew's confinement,” wrote Jill Tahmooressi, the mother of the jailed Marine on the family’s official Facebook page. “Demonstrations like this are not legal, not effective and needlessly inconveniences and endangers others, including hard working law enforcement officers and citizens on both sides of the border.”

The protest group plans to target primarily commercial ports of entry between the United States and Mexico. The plan is to block traffic coming off the bridges to delay or stop commercial cargo from coming into the United States from Mexico. It is scheduled to occur at seventeen ports of entry across the southern border from Brownsville, Texas to San Ysidro, California.

Former Marine, Montel Williams, expanded on the family's comments by stating on his facebook page, "This protest planned for this weekend is entirely unhelpful, will be entirely ineffective and will do nothing more than make the job of those in our government, including the State Department (who have been an incredible support to the family) and Chairman Salmon and Rice who have worked tirelessly for Andrew's release and who have called a hearing for October 1 before the Foreign Relations Committee," Williams continued saying, "I know we are all frustrated. To anyone who would disrespect the wishes of the family, I would say simply, how dare you."

A person close to the Tahmooressi family told Breitbart Texas the family has spoken directly with event organizer Staysi Barth and asked her not to use Sgt. Tahmooressi’s name in association with their protest. They are concerned this could put the Sergeant in danger from retaliation by his jailers in Mexico. They also do not support the idea of encouraging Americans to break American law.

Breitbart Texas reached out to Barth for comment. She was not immediately available to respond to questions. As of this publication date, Sgt. Tahmooressi’s name is still listed on the website as one of the purposes of the protest event.

http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-T...-Entry-Protest

Saturday Morning Border Shutdown Extends to Busiest Land Port in Western ...

Breitbart News

- ‎10 hours ago‎

Saturday morning border crossings from Brownsville, Texas to San Diego, California's San Ysidro port of entry, may see mass interruption in the flow of traffic and commerce from Mexico into the United States as “Shut Down All Ports of Entry” protestors ...

http://www.alipac.us/f12/%91cartel-t...celled-311256/

Originally Posted by ALIPAC

9/13/2013

1. Who is Ron Chubb?
2. Who are the other organizers?
3. A coalition of groups? How can someone we have never heard of be leading a 'coalition of groups' that are not even listed?

Mysterious.

W

@ http://www.alipac.us/f12/militia-thr...ridges-310832/
=====================================

"Shut Down All Ports" Protest Doesn't Receive Much Support

But, Organizers haven't called off plans yet

September 12, 2014
================================================

9/20/2014

http://www.alipac.us/f12/%91cartel-t...celled-311256/