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Utah's Minutemen patrol the Mexican border
LAST UPDATE: 5/2/2006 6:07:13 PM



The recent, huge protests for immigration rights may have had an unexpected effect: Increasing the number of Minutemen - those private citizens who volunteer to guard America's border.

Recently, eight Utah Minutemen and women went down to patrol the border just outside of San Diego. For one week, they guarded a 4 mile stretch. And through their actions, they say, several illegal immigrants did not make it into this country.

America, these Utah Minutemen believe, is a nation of laws - laws which must be obeyed. That's why they patrol all night, trying to send a strong message to those sneaking across the border.

As one Minutewoman told ABC 4: "Go back to the end of the line. Do it the right way and I will be your best friend. But don't ruin my country."

The Minutemen say their job is not to confront illegal immigrants, only to deter them and report any sightings. And no border in the world is crossed more frequently than the one between the U.S. and Mexico.

Every year, an estimated 700,000 illegal immigrants cross this border. Perhaps, as many as 95 percent of those trying to get into the U.S. eventually do.

Max Kennedy used to be a punk rocker from Kaysville. But now he calls this border home. "Mad Max," as he is called, wants all Utahns to see a border which can be crawled under or through and in some places, a wall which simply is no longer there.

He told ABC 4: "I've had a tough life living but I do have liberty and that's what I am trying to secure here is liberty. And once we let these borders go liberty will be gone with it."

And it's not just immigrants minutemen keep an eye on but drug smugglers too. Heroin which passes through here ends up all over America and, yes, perhaps even in Utah.

At one checkpoint late at night, the frustrated talk is about the president, congress and the possibility of amnesty for all immigrants.

For Alex Segura, head of Utah's Minutemen, Salt Lake's April 9th immigrant march was a wake-up call. He refers to that day as the new 9-11.

"Back in the 1700's. A vigilante was a badge of honor that name. It really was. It was someone who was vigilant for their country who stood up and did what was right, " said Segura.

But for one couple, patrolling the border watch is also personal. They have children serving in the military overseas and feel it's their duty to guard the home front.

The husband, who goes by the code name "Mirage" says, "They're off serving so that we can have a nation and if we don't serve they won't have nation to come back to."

Privately, several patrolmen told ABC 4 the Minutemen are helpful in patrolling the border.

Story by: Chris Vanocur
chris@abc4.tv