Jim Gilchrist, founder of the Minuteman Project, designed to put volunteers on the southeastern Arizona border to deter illegal immigrants, attracted more than 200 journalists from around the world, reports the Los Angeles Times. Mexico responded with more troops and extra police at the border to deter migrants. The U.S. Border Patrol boosted its ranks by 500 agents. “None of this would have happened if it wasn’t for the Minuteman action,” he said. “This thing was a dog and pony show designed to bring in the media and get the message out and it worked.”
Yesterday, the official start of the monthlong project, Gilchrist said there were 450 Minutemen; the number could not be verified. He said the volunteers had aided in the arrest of 146 illegal immigrants. “According to our Minutemen intelligence network, which has been flawless, there is credible evidence that two dozen Mexican nationals have assembled for the sole purpose of causing an incident that would make us look bad,” Gilchrist said. “They want us to open fire or assault them.”