http://www.kfmb.com/stories/story.27437.html

Anti-Minuteman Banner Appears In Chicano Park



Last Updated:
10-31-05 at 5:18PM

Protestors against the Minuteman Project unveiled a new banner in Chicano Park, saying the recognition the volunteer border agents are getting needs to stop, and they're doing what they can to make that happen.

It's a bold message from the Latino community – the Minutemen, or "Minuto Men" as the sign reads – have run out of time. Several Latino groups, along with the Latino Policy Institute, posted a banner in clear view of drivers along Interstate 5.

"They've had months to make whatever point they want to make, now their moment us up it's time to go home and stay there," Claudia Smith from the Latino Policy Institute said.

The Minutemen have been position in East San Diego County near Campo since mid-July. They've said they're doing the job the government and the border patrol have not done.

"You don't see any agents you can look for miles one way miles the other way there's no agents," Minuteman organizer Jim Chase said.

Now, the Minutemen are being joined by at least one California lawmaker who's proposing a plan for state border police. The measure sparked protests in Sacramento, where Minutemen supporters rallied to secure the borders.

"Most people think that the border is a triple that's 25 feet high, well, yeah, sure (it is) around ports of entry, but the other 1969 miles of border are wide open, we just want to draw attention to that," Tim Donnelly of the California Minutemen said.

There is more than one group patrolling the California-Mexico border calling themselves the Minutemen.

According to the original Minutemen group, they are pulling out their volunteers, but could be back as early as next spring. If they do, the American Immigration Lawyers Association says they plan to send out legal observers to make sure the Minutemen are abiding by the law.