Are vigilante border patrols legal?

[jdj]

I briefly watched some special on CMT night before last about how various citizen groups are patrolling the Arizona border. Most of them seemed to be freeper/militia/KKK types. One even said "are they immigrants or are they TERRORISTS? Nobody knows".

They showed one man who had been taken back over the border, he had been beaten by one of these groups pretty badly. I was surprised by this, & quit watching, I didn't even know people could do this stuff without being a cop or border patrol...

Anyone from out west know about this?

[T Town Jake]

1. No, they're not, IMHO...

...that kind of thing is called "private justice," and has no place in a civilized society. It's the same type of mentality that gave us lynch mobs right here in America in the not-so-distant past. It sends a shudder down my spine to think that that kind of ugliness is being revived in any form whatsoever.

[jdj]

2. I think they are lynch mobs.

They want to be.

I was disappointed in CMT for showing this.

Oh, the show was called "Small Town Secrets" and it just looked like a forum for racism.

I was watching it with my fundie republican Mom, and she and I both agreed it was disgusting.
I had to point out that the ancestors of those folks were in America a hell of a long time before white europeans were, so technically we are the intruders.

[VOX]

3. "Vigilante" and "legal" are mutually exclusive. In a word, No...

They're not legal.

[jdj]

4. The Guardian Angels were a vigilante group.

In an urban area (NY or LA either one, I can't remember).

CMT interviewed and followed at least 3 of these "civilian patrols" whatever that means, in the time I watched.

One guy has an unmanned remote control airplane with a camera mounted on it that he sends up and if he sees any movement he alerts border patrol.

I think its funny because vigilante is probably a spanish word.

[MissMarple]

6. The Guardian Angels are still active, legal, and can be effective.

Human rights groups have people volunteering to help border crossers who need help in the desert.

And vigilante activity is illegal if the vigilantes cross the law.

[jdj]

7. They covered one group giving humanitarian aid

water, food, blankets, etc.

They showed the places where the crosses are put out for people who died trying to cross into the U.S. This church group finds out their name and date of birth and death and puts a cross out for them.

[MissMarple]

10. Kids from our Colorado College have volunteered there.

I'm proud of them. :D

[VotefurKerry]

5. Yes they are legal if......

If they are done by landowners on their own land the Border Patrol can't do crap.

You can patrol your own land.

[951]

8. I believe they have the power of a bounty hunter or security guard

[jdj]

9. There did seem to be some official capacity, they did not

hide their faces or identities.

I thinkt they seriously need to get a life.