Thread: Petition against border vigilante violence

International Human Rights Commission Considers Claims Against U.S.-Mexico Border Vigilante Violence
Thursday, 06 March 2008
Petition charges U.S. government with human rights violations for failure to prosecute border vigilantism

What: Inter-American Commission of the Organization of American States (OAS) holds an admissibility hearing on a petition submitted by the Border Action Network for human rights violations caused by the United States’ lack of protection and legal remedies for immigrant victims of intimidation and violence by civilian vigilante groups along the US/Mexico border in southern Arizona. The petition also seeks redress for the government’s failure to act against more widespread harms created by anti-immigrant groups and individuals that affect the broader Latino population including U.S. citizens, who suffer from a climate of fear, racism and intimidation.


Contact: Jennifer Allen (520) 820-0360 in Washington, DC or Katie O’Connor (520) 623-4944 in Arizona

When: Friday, March 7, 2008 at 9:00-10:00 am EST

Where: Organization of American States, 17th Street & Constitution Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. in Room A. The hearing can also be viewed live via webcast at www.oas.org

Who: Border Action Network, a human rights community organization based on the Arizona-Mexico border filed the petition. They are represented by attorneys Seánna Howard and Robert Hershey of the University of Arizona, Indigenous Peoples Law & Policy Program.

Why: Over the past several years, there has been an alarming and unprecedented increase in the frequency of violent and criminal acts committed by civilians against immigrants in southern Arizona and U.S. government officials have failed to take any action to prevent it. Anti-immigrant vigilante groups, like the Minuteman Project, operate by patrolling the border for immigrants and detaining them for the US Border Patrol. Groups such as these, along with private individuals, have been involved in detentions, beatings, shootings, threats and other abuses against immigrants. These quasi-paramilitary forces, often travel on all-terrain-vehicles, carrying firearms, dressed in camouflage fatigues, and have official sounding names, like “American Border Patrolâ€

What a joke! Didn't the University of Arizona just receive a Federal Grant to conduct a "Border Security Study" or something to that effect?

Gee, I wonder what that study is going to say....

Must be ok to throw 14 pound rocks at border patrol agents and almost knock their heads off.

So is this going to be the new capital building when we are the NAU?
(North America Union)



Main Building for OAS, known as "House of the Americas"
(in Washington DC)

Immigrant victims? That's ridiculous. What about all the US internal violence against Americans.

[quote]Anti-immigrant vigilante groups, like the Minuteman Project, operate by patrolling the border for immigrants and detaining them for the US Border Patrol. Groups such as these, along with private individuals, have been involved in detentions, beatings, shootings, threats and other abuses against immigrants. These quasi-paramilitary forces, often travel on all-terrain-vehicles, carrying firearms, dressed in camouflage fatigues, and have official sounding names, like “American Border Patrolâ€

It amazes me that they will try anything to keep the borders open. Do we really care what an international group says?
What about our border patriots being called vigilantes? That is defamation of character.

I wonder if this REMF has spent any time on the border or even has a clue as to what goes on?
I live on it and I see it and I have helped many illegals when the needed aid, water or food but I do turn them over to BP.
I also know that the BP investigates any violations that citizens may have done to them as there are laws against it and if so the Sheriff Dept. is called in.
I'm sure there have been some hot heads out there but from what I have heard they are being taken care of and those that are watching the border are doing a good job.
A group that I know of have trained frist aid and rescue members just in case help is needed. They carry extra water, food and during the winter blankets. They don't want to see these people suffer.
These kind of people push out the hot heads, keep the illegals safe and placed into the hands of the BP.
It my opinion that these people should be on the border if only to help protect the illegals from the violence that others may inflict on them and to render aid when needed, of course BP will be called in.
I myself am trained in wilderness/EMS and have taken an oath to help all in need.
I will report any mistreartment I see to the BP and SO!
And I know many like me who live on the la frontera.

I'd say anyone living or working along the border and has the time should be using video cameras to tape the activity and see just WHO is starting the terror.

It's the illegal aliens crossing the border. Some of the most recent tactics heard are there are 1 or a small group who distract the BP agents while behind them are many illegals who pass by because the BP agents are distracted trying to control the violence.

I'd say ALL along the border that we should all put a demand on BUSH to do as he said he would and that if he won't pay for keeping the National Guard in place to assist the BP Agents then it's time to put some military on active duty here on our own home soil!!!!

Petition anyone? Would/Could Roy Beck from numbersusa assist on this one?

Anti-immigrant vigilante groups, like the Minuteman Project, operate by patrolling the border for immigrants and detaining them for the US Border Patrol. Groups such as these, along with private individuals, have been involved in detentions, beatings, shootings, threats and other abuses against immigrants.

Never. Only in their wild imaginations. All these people can do is lie and play the race card. Pathetic.

How about American citizens petitioning the Mexican Government to stop the invasion of America?

We still have a few Constitutional Rights and it is clearer now than ever that a well armed militia is needed to protect our borders. If our incompetent Government had stopped the flow of illegal immigrants years ago, the American people would not need to do it.

Many of the stories involving abuses of Mexicans at the border involve the Mexican smugglers. Lets send these people photos of the "Rape Trees". I would think that if this group wants to protect people, they should start on the Mexican side of the border.