This is beyond the pale. 16 illegal Mexican aliens are suing an Arizona rancher for violating their civil rights. After years of illegal Mexican aliens trespassing on and destroying his property, Arizona rancher Roger Barnett began rounding up illegal Mexican aliens in 1998 and turning them over to the border patrol. As a result, he's being sued for civil rights violations. From the Washington Times:
His Cross Rail Ranch near Douglas, Ariz., is known by federal and county law enforcement authorities as "the avenue of choice" for immigrants seeking to enter the United States illegally.
Trial continues Monday in the federal lawsuit, which seeks $32 million in actual and punitive damages for civil rights violations, the infliction of emotional distress and other crimes. Also named are Mr. Barnett's wife, Barbara, his brother, Donald, and Larry Dever, sheriff in Cochise County, Ariz., where the Barnetts live. The civil trial is expected to continue until Friday.
The lawsuit is based on a March 7, 2004, incident in a dry wash on the 22,000-acre ranch, when he approached a group of illegal immigrants while carrying a gun and accompanied by a large dog.
Attorneys for the immigrants - five women and 11 men who were trying to cross illegally into the United States - have accused Mr. Barnett of holding the group captive at gunpoint, threatening to turn his dog loose on them and saying he would shoot anyone who tried to escape.
Before he began rounding up the illegals, Mr. Barnett tried to accommodate them.
Mr. Barnett told The Washington Times in a 2002 interview that he began rounding up illegal immigrants after they started to vandalize his property, northeast of Douglas along Arizona Highway 80. He said the immigrants tore up water pumps, killed calves, destroyed fences and gates, stole trucks and broke into his home.
Some of his cattle died from ingesting the plastic bottles left behind by the immigrants, he said, adding that he installed a faucet on an 8,000-gallon water tank so the immigrants would stop damaging the tank to get water.
To summarize, a private American citizen tries to protect his own property, and in effect do the job the government refuses to do, and his reward is to be forced to defend himself against a $32 million lawsuit filed against him by people that violated American immigration laws and destroyed his property. God help rancher Barnett, God help us all!
