Thread: Minutemen Still Patrolling In Southern Arizona

http://kvoa.com/Global/story.asp?S=3347146&nav=HMO5ZtDX

Peter Busch Reports
Minutemen still patrolling in Southern Arizona

May 16, 2005, 08:57 AM

April has come and gone, but Minutemen are still patrolling the Arizona-Mexico border.

After their highly publicized round-the-clock patrols last month, the civilian border watchers are back on duty.

Eyewitness News 4's Peter Busch camped out with the Minutemen Saturday night. He has the story.

---------------------

It's Saturday night, 9:30, and a dozen Minutemen are preparing for the graveyard shift.

Armed with high-frequency scanners, hand-held walkie-talkies, thermal imaging cameras, and in some cases, side-arms, the stakeout begins.

The focus for this particular night is the Highway 92 corridor to the east of the Huachuca Mountains.

The well documented April Minutemen project is over, but their mission remains unfinished.

"Just keeping a vigilance, always watching, and letting them know we're here, should send them home," says Minutemen leader Chris Simcox.

The shift ends at six in the morning.

Simcox smokes a morning cigar, then checks a nearby wash for fresh tracks.

The Minutemen set up trip wires and often sweep the sand in the washes in case something escapes their sight.

Most of the Minutemen still on patrol are locals, but not everyone. Phil and Jackie Lyons drove all the way from Houston for the weekend and patrolled 16 hours each day.

"We didn't come here for a vacation; we came out here to come protect our border," Phil says.

Simcox says he knew from the beginning that April would not be the end of the Minutemen, but he says from now on, their patrols will be mobile, to keep smugglers guessing.

Simcox compares it to playing a game of chess, but on this night, their nocturnal vigilance was unrewarded. Not one illegal immigrant crossed their path.

Which, depending on how you look at it, could be a good thing.

I'm glad that they're still there..and not pegged down into one spot. The stories of the Arizona ranchers have haunted me. I'm a rancher, and I know about isolation from one's neighbors. I also know the concern for the animals and the property.

As an American just the thought that other Americans are sitting ducks for every sort of person crossing the border at any time they wish sends chills down my spine. They don't feel safe because they aren't safe. To the great shame of our government.

The McCain/Kennedy bill does nothing but rub salt into the wounds.

RR