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Border Patrol: More undocumented immigrants arriving armed
Douglas, U.S., January 23, 2003 (EFE)- The U.S. Border Patrol is reporting an increase in the number of detained undocumented immigrants carrying weapons, which could be a response to gun-toting vigilante groups operating on the north side of the frontier.
In fewer than four months, Border Patrol agents in the Tucson district have reported 12 arrests of undocumented immigrants carrying knives or handguns - twice the number reported over the past two years.
Agents last week reported being fired upon while on patrol in the desert as well as the confiscation of three pistols from migrants, Border Patrol spokesman Frank Amarillas said.
Jen Allen, assistant director of the Border Action Network, an immigrant rights group, said the only ones to blame for the rising incidence of undocumented immigrants crossing the border with weapons are the civilian patrol groups, which - she claimed - operate freely in the region.
"Immigrants have heard about these paramilitary groups patrolling the border carrying weapons and rifles," said Allen. "They are afraid of being attacked."
The presence of such groups has only served to increase tension among area residents, she said, describing the situation as "a time bomb."
So far, not a single undocumented immigrant has offered any resistance when stopped by vigilantes or ranchers, she added.
David Cheyney, spokesman for the Texas-based Ranch Rescue group said the presence of armed immigrant smugglers and drug runners in the Arizona desert is the main reason why he and his colleagues carry semi-automatic rifles.
In the event of a possible attack, "I'm sure that none of our members will hesitate in defending himself," Cheyney said.
He acknowledged that his group, which makes "citizen's arrests" of immigrants, has yet to detain an undocumented immigrant carrying a weapon.
Chris Simcox, owner and editor of the Tombstone Tumbleweed newspaper and founder of the group Homeland Defense, said members of his organization have been fired on three times while patrolling the border.
Simcox, 42, said death threats he has received since setting up the civilian patrol have led him to carry his .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol with him wherever he goes.
Reports of an increase in the number of armed undocumented migrants crossing the border were received skeptically by some local activists.
Isabel Garcia, an immigration attorney and the director of the Arizona Human Rights Coalition, questioned the veracity of the Border Patrol figures.
The federal agency may be doctoring the numbers in an effort to attract a bigger budget, she added.
"That way, they keep on militarizing the border," Garcia said.
The proliferation of paramilitary groups has only served to complicate things, increasing the likelihood of tragedies occurring, she said.
"They're shameless and even resort to posting pictures on the Internet of groups of undocumented immigrants they have stopped, as if they were trophies," she said, pointing to a video on the Web page of a group calling itself American Patrol.
The video features a step-by-step account of how members go about detecting and detaining undocumented immigrants.
Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) has called for a congressional investigation into the activities of the vigilante groups and their tax-exempt status. EFE
Border Patrol: More undocumented immigrants arriving armed
Douglas, U.S., January 23, 2003 (EFE)- The U.S. Border Patrol is reporting an increase in the number of detained undocumented immigrants carrying weapons, which could be a response to gun-toting vigilante groups operating on the north side of the frontier.
In fewer than four months, Border Patrol agents in the Tucson district have reported 12 arrests of undocumented immigrants carrying knives or handguns - twice the number reported over the past two years.
Agents last week reported being fired upon while on patrol in the desert as well as the confiscation of three pistols from migrants, Border Patrol spokesman Frank Amarillas said.
Jen Allen, assistant director of the Border Action Network, an immigrant rights group, said the only ones to blame for the rising incidence of undocumented immigrants crossing the border with weapons are the civilian patrol groups, which - she claimed - operate freely in the region.
"Immigrants have heard about these paramilitary groups patrolling the border carrying weapons and rifles," said Allen. "They are afraid of being attacked."
The presence of such groups has only served to increase tension among area residents, she said, describing the situation as "a time bomb."
So far, not a single undocumented immigrant has offered any resistance when stopped by vigilantes or ranchers, she added.
David Cheyney, spokesman for the Texas-based Ranch Rescue group said the presence of armed immigrant smugglers and drug runners in the Arizona desert is the main reason why he and his colleagues carry semi-automatic rifles.
In the event of a possible attack, "I'm sure that none of our members will hesitate in defending himself," Cheyney said.
He acknowledged that his group, which makes "citizen's arrests" of immigrants, has yet to detain an undocumented immigrant carrying a weapon.
Chris Simcox, owner and editor of the Tombstone Tumbleweed newspaper and founder of the group Homeland Defense, said members of his organization have been fired on three times while patrolling the border.
Simcox, 42, said death threats he has received since setting up the civilian patrol have led him to carry his .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol with him wherever he goes.
Reports of an increase in the number of armed undocumented migrants crossing the border were received skeptically by some local activists.
Isabel Garcia, an immigration attorney and the director of the Arizona Human Rights Coalition, questioned the veracity of the Border Patrol figures.
The federal agency may be doctoring the numbers in an effort to attract a bigger budget, she added.
"That way, they keep on militarizing the border," Garcia said.
The proliferation of paramilitary groups has only served to complicate things, increasing the likelihood of tragedies occurring, she said.
"They're shameless and even resort to posting pictures on the Internet of groups of undocumented immigrants they have stopped, as if they were trophies," she said, pointing to a video on the Web page of a group calling itself American Patrol.
The video features a step-by-step account of how members go about detecting and detaining undocumented immigrants.
Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) has called for a congressional investigation into the activities of the vigilante groups and their tax-exempt status. EFE
