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Saturday, June 11, 2005

Minutemen patrol New Mexico
42 volunteers watch for immigrants, illegal activity

Darren Meritz
El Paso Times

The civilian-led border watch organization known as the Minutemen are now patrolling Southern New Mexico along NM Highway 9 from Columbus to the Texas border, officials confirmed Friday.

The Minutemen, an organization that patrols U.S. international borders for undocumented immigrants and other illegal activity, have begun operations in Southern New Mexico in an effort they said provides support to the U.S. Border Patrol.

"We are simply United States citizens who are concerned by what we see happening on the border both in terms of increased violent criminal activity and in the possible erosion of basic civil rights," New Mexico Minutemen Security Chief Clifford Alford said. "If we see something going on that's illegal, we'll report it."

About 42 volunteers of the organization are monitoring portions of the border area. Minutemen in the past have conducted operations in Arizona and are expected to begin projects along the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas and California.

Some Minutemen carry guns.

Border Patrol Assistant Chief Robert Boatright of the El Paso sector, which includes Southern New Mexico, said his agency is making sure the Minutemen do not interfere with legitimate law-enforcement functions.

"We don't condone any of these groups," he said. "None of them are officials of the U.S. government. We will monitor the situation. Our mission is to protect the United States and we do not allow any of these groups to detract from our mission."

Other perspectives abound. Leo Samaniego, sheriff of El Paso County, said that the Border Patrol should have enough manpower to handle undocumented immigration from Mexico. But because they don't, the Minutemen are taking an active approach to encourage change, he said.

"It's enlightening to know that there are still people in this country who get tired of hearing the same story of the endless stream of illegal aliens coming in," he said. "Do I want them on the border? I don't think so. But as a last resort, if nobody's doing anything other than talk about what they're going to do along the border, then, by God, I think they should come here."

Ouisa Davis, a lawyer and executive director of the Diocesan Migrant and Refugee Services, likened the organization to a vigilante group. She described the Minutemen as "irrational, hate-filled" people who should be prosecuted because they are taking the law into their own hands.

"They believe every myth that exists about the undocumented," she said. "I'm afraid at some point there's going to be some conflict and someone's going to get hurt. I'm concerned that there's no organized attempt at this point by law enforcement to intervene."

Officials from the Minutemen organization said volunteers are prohibited from committing violence or acts of racism.

Darren Meritz may be reached at dmeritz@elpasotimes.com; 546-6127.

El Paso Times Reporter Louie Gilot contributed to this report.