SAN DIEGO'S AIRPORT POSSE FIGHTS TO PATROL FOR ILLEGALS.Byline: Carol Morello Knight-Ridder Newspapers This corner of the Wild West teems with cappuccino cap·puc·ci·no n. pl. cap·puc·ci·nos Espresso coffee mixed or topped with steamed milk or cream. [Italian, bars and marinas, but some determined folks still know how to form a posse. For the past three weeks, a group calling itself the Airport Posse has patrolled San Diego's international airport on the lookout for in search of; looking for. See also: Lookout illegal immigrants boarding planes to points north and east. Armed with video cameras, they sport blue T-shirts with a yellow map of the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. in a circle bearing the group's name. From a distance, the logo resembles the insignia on the U.S. Border Patrol's green uniforms. The posse, which also calls itself the U.S. Citizen Patrol and claims 350 volunteers, contends that it is legitimately keeping an eye on a government that has been lax in securing the border with Mexico. Its members say that they never intervene if they spot a suspected illegal immigrant, but that their mere presence has scared off wary aliens and kept law enforcement and the airlines on their toes. Latino groups who had threatened to patrol the patrollers say the Airport Posse is full of bigoted big·ot·ed adj. Being or characteristic of a bigot: a bigoted person; an outrageously bigoted viewpoint. big vigilantes vigilantes (vĭjĭlăn`tēz), members of a vigilance committee. Such committees were formed in U.S. frontier communities to enforce law and order before a regularly constituted government could be established or have real authority. who intimidate and harass anyone with brown skin, including U.S. citizens and legal immigrants. After Latino activists followed a posse member Tuesday chanting, ``Go home, Pilgrim,'' the airport decided it was time to pull the reins on the posse. The San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. Unified Port District, which manages the airport, secured a temporary restraining order temporary restraining order: see injunction. Wednesday. It argued that the escalating confrontations threatened travelers' safety and were a burden on security officers who were following posse members to ensure that they didn't approach passengers asking for identification. Today in state Superior Court, members of the Airport Posse will try to persuade the judge to allow them to return to the terminal halls. The Airport Posse is the latest salvo by conservative anti-immigration activists who plan to join hands across the border to press their case during the Republican National Convention here in August. Activists also are considering a similar posse at Los Angeles International Airport “LAX” redirects here. For other uses, see LAX (disambiguation). “KLAX” redirects here. For other uses, see KLAX (disambiguation). Los Angeles International Airport (IATA: LAX, ICAO: KLAX, FAA LID: LAX . The number of illegal immigrants taking flights from San Diego is not believed to be huge. The U.S. Border Patrol posts undercover agents at the airport, but they average only five to 15 arrests a day. Some posse volunteers say the government and airlines could do more to stop the illegals, however. |
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