http://kvoa.com/Global/story.asp?S=3135010&nav=HMO5Xzz7

Minuteman project attracts many groups
March 28, 2005, 06:24 PM CST

You might need a scorecard to keep track of all the players expected to be on the Southern Arizona Mexico border starting Friday.

That's when the Minuteman Project kicks off, hoping to bring attention to the illegal immigration problem.

Chris Simcox, Minuteman Project organizer, says so far 1,200 are signed up to position themselves along part of the border during April to watch for illegal immigrants and report them to the Border Patrol.

Simcox denies it's vigilantism. Instead he says the action is, "a good old-fashioned-1960's-civil-rights-type political protest."

Some worry Minutemen will be violent. Simcox insists no.

He says, "This would be the last place anyone would want to come who has intentions of doing anything awful. With the amount of media coverage and the amount of law enforcement oversight, we consider this to be about the safest, most reasonable place to be the month of April."

Still, flyers signed by a group that appears to be white supremacist are showing up in border communities. Plus there are Internet reports that the violent Mexican gang M-13 might show up to retaliate against Minutemen.

Legal observers will be there to monitor and record all interactions between Minutemen and immigrants.

Immigration rights activists expect hundreds to attend weekend "unity" rallies.

Kat Rodriguez, organizer for Coalicion de Derechos Humanos, says, "We don't feel or agree with this sort of anti immigrant hate-filled sort of war mentality that the Minuteman Project has attracted."

Law enforcement agencies, the Border Patrol and international media will also be there, watching all sides.