Vigilantes patrol border

House Editorial

Everyone needs a hobby, and for those who cannot take time off to hunt wild felines in Wisconsin, a trip to the border might be in order. A group of volunteers, calling themselves the Minutemen after the famous chowder-eating vigilantes of the American Revolution, have taken it upon themselves to patrol the United States-Mexican border for smugglers and illegal immigrants.

The Arizona stretch of the border is considered the most vulnerable of the 2,000 miles where America meets its southern neighbor, and 51 percent of the illegal immigrants caught in the last year crossed into the United States through Arizona.

Though this seems like a page from an Ernest Hemingway memoir or a chapter from a "Hardy Boys" saga, the Minutemen sit and watch 23 miles of the Arizona border, hoping to protect America.

The Minutemen may sound like an excuse to sit out in the sun and play with binoculars, but they are getting the job done, as their reports have led to hundreds of arrests. Yet there are many legitimate concerns raised over the idea of these men keeping a lookout.

Though arrests are down in the area, there is the chance that the presence of these men has confounded the data. Mexico is concerned that these men will violate the rights of Mexicans and may be cracking down on the immigrants on their side of the border for protection. The Mexican military has been conducting operations just south of the border — a historically good way to discourage Mexican citizens from attempting the crossing.

The Minutemen also infer with the U.S. Border Patrol. Though these men have made calls that have led to arrests, they have also tripped sensors used by the patrol, as well as leaving extra footprints making tracking illegal immigrants more difficult.

The Border Patrol is also worried that the Minutemen’s watch may lead to vigilante violence. Though no cases of mistreatment have occurred, the civil rights groups as well as the Mexican government are concerned about the possibility.

The Minutemen are forbidden from detaining illegal immigrants and do call Border Patrol, but they are also putting themselves at a risk that seems to outweigh the benefits. If they are truly hunting smugglers, they can be putting themselves into very dangerous situations that should be left to the trained professionals of the Border Patrol.

They did have the best of intentions in mind, and have, so far, worked well within the confines of the law and decent conduct, but the Minutemen do not seem to be aware that they are both helping and hindering at the same time.

Respect for the law is wonderful, and illegal immigrants sneaking into the country is a problem, but it is important to remember that you must weigh both sides of the issue and ensure that the trouble or danger do not outweigh the problems the group is looking to fix.

The Minutemen are hindering the real border patrol’s ability to do its job, and they tread the line between being concerned citizens and vigilantes too closely. It’s for the best that, after only a few weeks, their leader is ready to pack it in and go home.