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On June 4, 2005, the "Minutemen" entered the town of Fallbrook, San Diego County, early in the morning. There had been no prior warning to their arrival as there has been in the previous demonstrations in southern California. Their objective: to stop Citibank and two other banks from allowing their Mexican patrons to use Mexican identification to cash checks or open accounts. They stood on the sidewalk on Main St. next to Denny’s with racist anti-Mexican signs. There were reports that the Minutemen intimidated and harassed a disabled Mexican man who was walking down the sidewalk. Full story at San Diego Indymedia

6/17 Update: Garden Grove Police pursue phony criminal charge against woman hit by Minuteman supporter
5/26 Update: Hal Netkin identified as driver of minivan which struck four protesters.
5/25/2005: Two people protesting the "Minutemen" in Garden Grove, CA were hit by a car driven by someone presumed to be a Minuteman or one of their supporters. Local TV news reports are confirming the attack and reporting that the driver of the car was arrested. No information on the condition of those attacked is available. Meanwhile at least eight protesters were arrested. Photos | Report | LA Indymedia

Minuteman Project founder Jim Gilchrist, who describes himself as a "conservative and a left-wing wacko," announced that he would address his followers at 7:30 p.m. on May 25th in Garden Grove, in what seems to be an attempt to expand his project to Southern California. In response, some pro-immigrant activists pledged to be there to voice their dissent inside and outside the meeting place at 6:30 p.m. Virtual Sit-In Against Minutemen | Previous coverage

Immigrant communities in San Francisco joined labor, teachers, nurses and others in the fight-back against Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. In a May 5th rally at the State Building, Schwarzenegger was denounced for his recent call to close the border and his invitation to the Minutemen, the Arizona border vigilantes who will be going to the California border with Mexico this summer, to come to California. Groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union have also criticized the Governator for his support of the Minutemen.

Photos | Video | Report by Beyond Chron

On April 17th and 18th, a California delegation of immigrant rights and human rights activists was in Douglas, Arizona to respond to the presence of vigilantes on the US/México border, and to their hate messages. This group of 15 activists, along with allies in Arizona, planned to "counter the national media coverage and international attention that the 'Minutemen' have received with our message: We will not tolerate vigilanteism against immigrant communities! Immigrant rights are human rights!" Video of Friday's "Despedida" Press Conference

Organizers of the delegation include La Raza Centro Legal, St. Peter's Housing Committee, Heads Up Collective, PODER, SF Day Labor Program, Women's Collective, Padres Unidos. More info about the delegation's plans

The Minuteman Project is an event planned for the month of April, that has invited up to 1000 critics of U.S. immigration policy to Arizona for the stated purpose of protesting the alleged lack of enforcement at the U.S.- Mexico Border.

Critics of the Minuteman Project say that it helps to fuel anti-immigrant bias, and interferes with the work of law enforcement and border patrol agencies. The Border Patrol has denounced the MinuteMan project, voicing concern that untrained civilians “could cause more trouble than they prevent.” For example, volunteers have disturbed the footprints agents use to track immigrants and set off carefully placed sensors along the border. Read more The ACLU of Arizona is providing legal observers at the Minuteman Project's site this month.

Border Action Network/Accion Fronteriza | U.S. Customs and Border Protection | Border Security Website | Border Patrol Website | Ongoing US Indymedia Coverage

4/3/2005: Today was the annual Cesar Chavez Holiday Parade in San Francisco. A similar event takes place every year in celebration of the anniversary of the birth of Cesar Chavez, the late labor activist. The parade was led by local politicians and activists, and it included contingents representing unions and other local organizations. The largest float was an advertisement for Safeway and there were many local radio stations handing out promotional stickers.
San Francisco Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | April 2 in Fresno: 1 | Salinas on April 2-3

2004 Coverage | 2001 Coverage | SF State's Viva Cesar E. Chavez Site | United Farmworkers' "The Story of Cesar Chavez"

A vigil was held Monday, March 21st, at the home of Senator Diane Feinstein. People gathered at 4:00 pm at Centro del Pueblo (474 Valencia Street at 16th). They planned to carpool to the vigil at Diane Feinstein's house, which is located at 30 Presidio Terrace, near Arguello. The vigil included speakers, music, candles, and a public display of driver's licenses on Feinstein's front lawn.

People who are in favor of the issuance of driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants planned to express their intolerance of Feinstein's support for the Real ID Act (HR 418). If this bill becomes law, it will be impossible for undocumented immigrants in California to drive legally. Protest organizers say that Senator Diane Feinstein came out in favor the Real ID Act, which, among other things, would deny undocumented immigrants driver's licenses at a national level. If this law passes (it has already passed the US House of Representatives and will be considered by the US Senate in the next few weeks), it will destroy our efforts to obtain driver's licenses for immigrants here in California..." Read more

Video of March 5th Fresno Protest Against HR 418 | Past Indybay Coverage of the Real ID Act

Xxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx reports that her husband, Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx, was arrested on July 28, 2004, charged with making a false claim of being a U.S. citizen on a loan application (at that time he had a Green Card) - this was apparently a computer error, not the fault of Mr. Xxxxxx. His legal team found out that the way that the government had done its investigation was by cross referencing with Homeland Security or Immigration records to identify the citizenship of all persons who received these SBA (Small Business Association) Loans.

As a result of Mr. Xxxxxx not pleading guilty to False Claim of Citizenship and being automatically deported, the prosecutor has charged him with Bank Fraud. Since the charge of False Claim of Citizenship was not a strong case, because Hafeez provided a copy to the bank of his social security card which clearly states Not Authorized to work without INS approval, the federal prosecutor has charged him with Bank Fraud.

Ms. Xxxxxx says, "This is the result of how the government is using criminal courts alongside of immigration enforcement to target, prosecute and uproot Muslim families, deporting them... My husband's only crime is being born in Pakistan and being Muslim. I am a born white American and his children are american/pakistani. My father fought in Viet Nam. This is not what I feel they are or were fighting for, to victimize people. I feel I have no choice but to turn to the citizens and beg for his mercy for a innocent mistake in not reading every single page (of the loan application)....Let me again remind you that this investigation did not start by Bank Fraud investigation, terrorism or money laundering. However it was started off by cross referencing Nationality and Citizenship...What a big price to pay for coming to America. Here America claims Pakistan is our Allies, but yet this is how Pakistanis are being treated, unlike the British?"

The trial is set to begin on March 21st at the Harris County Federal Courthouse, at 515 Rusk, in Houston, Texas. The Judge is Mrs. Nancy Atlas. Read more