The Minuteman Project Update

According to a story in the LA Times today, the citizens on patrol at the Arizona border are having a noticible effect on the amount of illegal border crossers. Apparently, their are rumors galore circulating on the Mexican side...such as they will be beaten or shot by the "vigilantes" if they attempt the crossing where the patrols are located. According to the article, the civilian lookouts are posted a 1/4 mile apart. They are given strict instruction not to confront or touch any border crossers. They are only to report any sightings to the Border Patrol.

Grupos Beta (Beta Group), is a Mexican migrant assistance force has been beefed up on the Mexican side in response to the minutemen. They are trying to discourage would be crossers from crossing at the time...rather...they are telling them to try another location, or wait a month for the "vigilantes" to leave. According to recent statistics...there were approximately 400 border crossers between Douglas and Naco each day...but that has dropped off to only a few dozen now. All of the would be border crossers who were interviewed told the media that they would not stop trying to cross the border and were mad at the US for trying to impede their journeys.

According to sources...all of the would be border crossers also refused to accept Grupos Beta's offer of discounted bus or air fares back to their home towns. At present...they are being taken to Aqua Prieta...the sister city of Douglas. There they wait to either try another route in, or wait it out until next month...when the Minuteman Project will end. While unpopular with Mexican authorities...the Minuteman Project is having a real effect on illegal immigration in the area where they are based.

Minuteman coordinators stated that they are accomplishing what they had set out to do. Bringing the plight of illegal immigration to the forefront and forcing politicians to confront the problem. They claim it was never their attempt to stop illegal immigration on their own...just raise the collective awareness of the nation to this growing problem.