Thread: ‘Minuteman’ recruiting hits Del Rio

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‘Minuteman’ recruiting hits Del Rio, Texas

By Karen Gleason
Del Rio News-Herald

Published August 14, 2005

Some people might describe Roy Lasley as an exclusionist, a racist or a term even less printable.

But the way the retired Midland, Texas truck driver sees it, his volunteer activity with the Minuteman Civil Protection Corps is the obligation of a patriot.

Lasley is the president of the Midland/Odessa chapter of the controversial Minuteman organization. He and another member of the group, Tony Faller, were in Del Rio Friday.

Lasley said his trip is part of an evaluation the Minuteman group is undertaking to scout locations for an October border watch event in Texas.

In an interview Friday, Lasley explained that the objective of the Minuteman group is “to assist the Border Patrol in apprehending illegal entrants.�

“What we do is that we set up stations, and usually we sit in lawn chairs or pickup trucks with binoculars, walkie-talkies and cell phones, and watch for anybody that’s crossing into the U.S. illegally. Then we call the Border Patrol and let them do the apprehensions,� Lasley said.

“We do not approach the illegal entrants in any way – verbally or physically,� Lasley said, and it is a point he emphasized repeatedly.

He said the only circumstances under which members of his organization will even speak to the illegal entrants are “if they look real sick or down, we offer them water.�

Lasley said the group hopes to recreate an event held on the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona in April 2005.

“For 23 miles, we shut down the border,� Lasley said of the month-long Arizona effort.

Asked why he joined the group, Lasley said, “I feel that we are being overrun.�

“I feel like it’s my patriotic duty to our country,� said Faller.

Lasley said he and Faller have received favorable responses from a number of Del Rio residents.

“We have scouted out several areas where we can patrol,� Lasley said.

He said the event will begin with a local rally Oct. 1.

Lasley and Faller on Friday also visited with Val Verde County Sheriff A. D’Wayne Jernigan and planned to speak with Border Patrol officials here.

Jernigan Friday said he has no problem with the group being in Del Rio, as long as its members obey the law.

“I didn’t encourage them, and I didn’t discourage them,� Jernigan said. “I explained to them that I expect them to follow the law. I told them that if they come in here as law-abiding citizens, we won’t have any problems, but I also told them that if you do violate the law, you will suffer the consequences.�

Jernigan said Lasley agreed to a later meeting between the group and local law enforcement officials, including the district attorney and county attorney.

“I told him that we need to explain to him what the rules are, that we need to explain trespass laws in Texas, because here you don’t have a lot of public land like you do in Arizona,� Jernigan said.

He added that he has also asked Lasley to provide him with the names and identifiers for all of the participants in the group’s planned October event here so that the sheriff’s office can run criminal history checks on them.

Jernigan said he has asked Lasley to let him know where the volunteer border watchers will be located and has asked that every group of volunteers has a method of instant communication with law enforcement.

“I told him, ‘I want to be able to find you and your people immediately if I need to,’ and he said he didn’t have a problem with that,� Jernigan said.

Paul Berg, chief patrol agent for the Del Rio Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, on Friday issued the following statement about the activities of the Minuteman group: “The Border Patrol appreciates the efforts of local citizens that report suspicious activity. Their eyes and ears are extremely helpful. However, deterring and apprehending individuals illegally entering the United States requires highly trained law enforcement personnel – the U.S. Border Patrol.�

Anyone who wants to learn more about the Minuteman organization can research the group on the Internet or visit its Web site at www.minutemanhq.com.

We in TEXAS are ready to get it ON!!!