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.

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