BORDER-WATCH HEAD TO SPEAK IN MOORPARK CIVILIAN VOLUNTEERS SCHEDULE PATROL.

Byline: Angie Valencia-Martinez Staff Writer

MOORPARK - The chairman of Friends of the Border Patrol will speak in Moorpark on Saturday about the rollout of a controversial plan to patrol the Mexican border near San Diego next month with civilian volunteers.

Andy Ramirez, whose grandfather immigrated to the United States from Mexico, will speak at Moorpark City Hall recruiting volunteers for his Border Watch project that already has the commitment of about 1,000 volunteers.

Ramirez, who will also address the impact of illegal immigration and the role of the government, was invited to speak by the Simi Valley/Moorpark Republican Assembly.

``This is about national security,'' said Ramirez, a Chino resident. ``We don't know who is crossing the border. We don't know what their intent is.

``We're not safe. The ultimate goal is to be relieved by the appropriate government agencies who will provide the proper manpower and resources, including technology that the Border Patrol needs plus that will allow them to restore the quality of life to those American citizens living in terror on the border.''

On Sept. 16, the group will set up patrols in San Diego County for an indefinite period to report cases of immigrants crossing illegally into the United States to Border Patrol agents.

They blame the federal government for not securing the country's borders from illegal immigrants and terrorists, and say their citizen-watch approach will counter the problem.

Opponents say civilian patrols are not the answer to illegal border crossings.

Border Patrol spokesman Salvador Zamora said the agency does not condone civilian patrols and that guarding the border is the job of trained professionals, not untrained volunteers.

``We have to recognize that the people are exercising their right,'' he said. ``They have not violated the law and have not demonstrated any threat to our agents.''

San Diego has about 1,600 agents assigned to the sector out of 11,000 nationwide, he said.

Zamora said the temporary border guards put themselves in danger because they are unfamiliar with the terrain and could encounter hostile situations. They also could get in the way of the Border Patrol doing its job.

The volunteers, some armed, will have no contact with undocumented immigrants or smugglers, Ramirez said. The citizen patrols will be placed on private property to avoid confrontations.

Critics of the civilian-monitoring effort call the activists vigilantes and racists who promote violence.

``They've tried to portray themselves as a more tolerant, more moderate organization, but in reality the Friends of the Border Patrol have the same agenda, which is to create a climate of tension in the border area,'' said Christian Ramirez, director of the San Diego office of the American Friends Service Committee, a social justice organization that promotes human rights. ``We consider them a copycat version of the Minuteman Project, which is a vigilante movement.''

California's Border Watch operation models itself on the Minuteman Project, which patrolled the southern Arizona border last spring. Minuteman organizers credited it with a decrease in the number of undocumented immigrants crossing into the United States in April.

Since then, several offshoot border-watch groups have formed along the southern border and in other states in an effort to halt illegal immigration.

About 1,000 civilian border watchers have signed up to patrol areas of the California-Mexico border, said Ramirez. Sector leaders have had a minimum of 80 hours of training at the border.

The volunteers include people from all walks of life, 70 percent of whom have military or law enforcement experience. They are bankers, bakers, lawyers, teachers, from all ethnicities, Ramirez added.

The vigils, which have drawn national attention to border-security issues, are meant to shed light on the problem of illegal immigration, organizers said.

Ramirez has been highly criticized because his grandfather emigrated from Mexico, but Ramirez said his grandfather did so legally and that times were different then.

``Why am I a racist? For loving my country? I'm an American and I love my country. This is a nation that gives me the freedom to say, Mr. President, your policy stinks.

``The opposition resorts to race because they have no legal argument. That's the bottom line. They can't debunk truth.''

The Simi Valley/Moorpark Republican Assembly consists of 40 local members.

Darin Henry, president of the organization, said the group invited Ramirez to learn more about illegal immigration and U.S. policy.

Although he said there might be some opposition at the event, providing a forum for public opinion is necessary.

``It's free speech,'' he said. ``It's good for the community to hear these points of views. They can agree with it or disagree with it.''

Angie Valencia-Martinez, [phone]

angie.valencia(at)dailynews.com

IF YOU GO

The Simi Valley/Moorpark Republican Assembly will host a discussion on border security featuring Andy Ramirez, chairman of Friends of the Border Patrol, at 1 p.m. Saturday at Moorpark City Hall, Citrus Room, 799 Moorpark Ave., Moorpark.

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IF YOU GO (see text)