AZ:Activists charged again for littering public land

Published: 07.10.2009

Refuge cites 13 more on littering for water jugs
ARIZONA DAILY STAR
Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge officials issued littering tickets to 13 volunteers from No More Deaths on Thursday for setting out water jugs, according to a press release from the humanitarian-aid group.
Thursday's arrests marked the latest incident involving the Tucson-based group, which says distributing water on the refuge is a humanitarian act aimed at preventing deaths of illegal immigrants, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife officials, who see it as littering. The refuge is about 45 miles southwest of Tucson.
No More Deaths planned to set out the water Thursday despite not having authorization from refuge managers and sent out press releases announcing its plans.
No More Deaths is a faith-based aid group that offers illegal immigrants food, water and medical aid in Arizona's borderlands near Mexico.
On Feb. 22, 2008, No More Deaths volunteer Daniel Millis was the first to be cited for littering when he and three other volunteers were setting out full water jugs. In September, he was ruled guilty of littering, but his sentence was suspended.
In December 2008, fellow volunteer Walt Staton was cited for the same thing. After being found guilty on June 3 in U.S. District Court of knowingly littering on a national wildlife refuge, Staton said he would continue to set out water on the refuge. Staton is scheduled to return on Aug. 11 to federal court, where he faces a maximum of one year in jail or a $10,000 fine.
Buenos Aires Refuge manager Michael Hawkes has said on multiple occasions that anyone found littering in the refuge would be cited. Refuge managers say they have major problems due to the trash left by crossers.
The volunteers cited Thursday were placing water jugs at four spots on Arivaca Road West between Arivaca and Arizona 286, where they say illegal immigrants frequently cross.
http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/300338