Vigilantes intimidating illegal border crossers, activists say

Isabel Garcia, co-chair of the Coalición de Derechos Humanos, calls for the "immediate halt to the murders" of illegal crossers. Behind her is Jose Matus of Alianza Indigena Sin Fronteras, co-sponsor of the press conference.
FRANCISCO MEDINA/Tucson Citizen

LARRY COPENHAVER
Tucson Citizen
Oct. 22, 2002
Members of a human rights group here are demanding that law enforcement officials take action against vigilantes whom they say are terrorizing border crossers who enter the United State illegally.
Several groups of U.S. citizens reportedly have been patrolling roads and ranch areas along Arizona's border with Mexico to discourage border crossers with a show of force, notifying the Border Patrol of illegal border crossers.
Derechos Humanos members say the men are intimidating border crossers with their weapons and threats.
"We call for immediate dismantling of those terrorist organizations and an immediate halt to the murders, the continued gross violations of human rights and civil liberties," said Isabel Garcia, co-chair of the Coalición de Derechos Humanos, at a noon news conference yesterday.
Two migrants were killed last week near the rural community of Red Rock, 32 miles northwest of Tucson when shots were fired into a group of about a dozen border crossers resting in the shade near a stock pond.
Law enforcement officials say they suspect the gunmen were competing migrant smugglers called "coyotes."
Garcia said yesterday, "To allow such (vigilante) operations to go on will only serve as a green light to racists and vigilante type! s who mistakenly blame poor immigrants for the havoc that failed border policies have created."
She read from a prepared statement issued by Derechos Humanos and the Alianza Indigena Sin Fronteras, which co-sponsored the news conference.
"All indications at this time point to either smugglers or vigilantes as the responsible parties," Garcia said.
The statement said vigilante groups have repeatedly gone out of their way to twist facts and distort political realities to promote their agendas.
Raúl Grijalva, the Democratic candidate for Congressional District 7, spoke at the event and called for the federal government to investigate the killings near Red Rock and! determine if the victims' civil rights were violated.
Grijalva also called for hearings between U.S. and Mexican officials on border violence.
After the news conference, Grijalva said more action is required by U.S. and Mexican governments on border issues.
He said the state of the Mexican economy leaves many in Mexico with no alternative but to seek work north of the border, even though getting here is dangerous.