Trial against Notorious Border Vigilante Begins Today

On October 11, 2003 Cochise County resident Don Mackenzie found a group of approximately thirty migrant menand women at a well located on his ranch. When Don asked if anyone spoke English, a man wearing a U.S. Border Patrol hat spoke up and said that he had "rounded up the Mexicans." Because of the man's hat, overall appearance including a side arm and demeanor, Don assumed the man and the two others with him worked for the U.S. BorderPatrol.

When Don discovered that the individuals were vigilantes he became scared for the safety of the migrants as well as for himself due to his sympathy for migrants and opposition to vigilante activities. Don's civil suit charges Roger, Barbara and Donald Barnett with trespass and impersonating a police officer. Border Action is supporting another suit against the Barnett's for detaining a Mexican-American family (news article) on state trust land.

In March of this year Don joined 300 border residents and immigrants participated in the Border Action delegation to Washington, DC and told members of the US Senate "These Rambo wannabes, have no place in Arizona and our communities. We don't need them here and we don't want them here."

Donations are needed to support this trial and immigrant-led community organizing in Douglas and other border towns. Send checks to Border Action Network PO Box 384 Tucson AZ 85702 or donate securely online at www.borderaction.org