Remarks about The Minuteman Project by Michael Chertoff

House Committee on Homeland Security hearing, July 25,2005. Testimony by Michael Chertoff, Secty. Homeland Security - Cspan. Transcribed by AuntB

Sheila Jackson Lee (D) Texas: “...That is this question of volunteers..... What is the department doing about monitoring the potential violence at the border,monitoring the growth of the Minutemen movement, and answering their concerns which is dealing with comprehensive immigration reform and security at the borders?�

Secty. Chertoff: “ ....As it relates the the Minutemen, I guess what I can say is this. Obviously this is a free country, people can demonstrate and express their views. On the other hand, I do believe that enforcement of the law is a job for professionals.

As you pointed out, the border is a dangerous place......I do not think the border is a place for people to operate in an untrained fashion. I do think the border patrol ought to be allowed to focus its resources on what its principal mission is, which is policing the border and making sure we have border security.� (snip) The entire transcript is available here:

DHS Sec. Chertoff House Testimony on Department Reorganization (07/25/2005) CSpan http://www.cspan.org/