KOLD News 13 live, local and late breaking-SPECIAL REPORT: Armed Civilian Groups Patrol Border

SPECIAL REPORT: Armed Civilian Groups Patrol Border

By Bud Foster

Several weeks ago, News 13 told you about a citizens group called "Ranch Rescue" which came to Southern Arizona to document events on the border. They brought with them videotape cameras, food, tents and AR-15 semi-automatic rifles. The Texas organization says it came here to protect private property which it says is being invaded by illegal immigrants from Mexico.

The groups website calls its mission here a "rousing success" even though it was asked to leave Southern Arizona. It's just one civilian organization which claims it's forced to do the work the US Border Patrol refuses to do. That is protect the ranches, people and property along the border or protect America from an impending invasion. Even though Ranch Rescue says the mission was successful, local law enforcement officials don't necessarily agree with that.

It's common to see people along the US-Mexican border dressed as military, in camouflage and carrying weapons. But, the people who came here are not military, not government sanctioned, not police, they are private citizens..

"I'm a foreign correspondent for the nation's largest military magazine" says Rob Krott, one of the 13 or so volunteers. Krott writes for Soldier of Fortune magazine. He was planning a vacation to Southern Arizona. When the opportunity to take part in this operation came up, he jumped on it.

They came to the border to videotape events which prove the Border Patrol is not working but no videotape has been produced. We asked to see the tape but were put off several times, finally being told it never existed.

The group's spokesman, Jack Foote, says, "Border patrol is a federal responsibility and the federal government is obligated to establish a true deterrent." Foote says that's not happening. He says without government responsibility, "It gives rise to civilian groups like ours."

Ranch Rescue came upon a group of drug smugglers which dropped a 280-pound load of marijuana and ran when confronted. There was no gun fire this time but the citizen's group says it's prepared for that if or when it happens. Krott says, "We will defend ourselves. If someone attempts to kill to us, we will defend ourselves. Criminal trespassers or whatever you want to call them, if someone is here without authorization and takes us under fire, we will respond like any other citizen has a right to do, to defend yourself."

But, as we later learned, they were not authorized to be here either. They were trespassing and were asked to leave by the Nature Conservancy, whose property they were patrolling. The Nature Conservancy said at first they thought Ranch Rescue was the Border Patrol.

"They are gone now and we're glad they're gone," says Santa Cruz County Sheriff Tony Estrada. He says they were lucky no one was shot and killed. He says he's the law on the border and he doesn't need help from civilian groups like ranch rescue.

"They didn't accomplish anything and were likely embarrassed, that's why they left," Estrada said. They couldn't accomplish their agenda. "They can't take the law into their own hands," he says "And, I believe that's their agenda."

An agenda promoted by people like Glen Spencer, executive director of another citizens group called the American Patrol.. He was in Tucson recently giving speeches and recruiting members. He says people like him and Ranch Rescue are being unfairly targeted. America, he says, doesn't understand the threat.

"I believe, and I think I have proven in a documentary that I have done called "Conquest of Aztland", that Mexico is in fact, sponsoring the invasion of the United States with hostile intent," he says.