12/22/2007 7:55:00 PM Minutemen increase pressure on
day laborers
The Daily Courier/Jo.L. Keener
Prescott’s Minutemen installed “no trespass” signs in both Spanish and English Saturday around the area of Grove Avenue and Lincoln Street.
PRESCOTT - Fed up with day laborers - illegal or otherwise - loitering along the busy street corner of Grove Avenue and Lincoln Street, Mel Oliverson and his group of Prescott-area activists from the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps are in action mode.
Since July, Minuteman members have sought to push out illegal aliens in the Prescott area who are seeking employment along open public street corners where city ordinances do not permit them.
The Minutemen began their crusade by targeting the Grove/Lincoln intersection because of its track record as a spot where illegal immigrants congregate in search of a quick buck from construction contractors and others craving cheap labor.
On Saturday, after receiving permission from the property owner, Oliverson and three of his men erected six "No Trespassing - Private Property" signs in English and Spanish along a quarter-acre lot 10 feet from the edge of the Lincoln Street pavement and directly across from Prescott College.
These signs accompany a pair of others labeled "No Parking, Stopping, Standing Anytime" at two separate locations in the same vicinity on Lincoln.
With the signage in place, Prescott police officers now have the authority to cite any vehicle stopping on Lincoln Street in pursuit of day labor.
However, day laborers could still theoretically stand along the 10 feet of space in front of the signs without trespassing.
The Minutemen originally had wanted to put up a fence on the property, but they could not do so because the land sits on a floodplain.
"If it's made uncomfortable for these guys, they'll probably go somewhere else," said Oliverson, a member of the city's Immigration Task Force.
Prescott Police Deputy Chief Mike Kabbel, speaking on behalf of Chief Randy Oaks, said he found out from the task force on Friday that the Minutemen were installing the signs, which makes it "a technical violation of the law," or a Class 3 misdemeanor, for someone to trespass on the property.
"No matter where it's at, whenever somebody puts up a 'No Trespassing' sign, it would hopefully preclude somebody from trespassing - it would stop them from entering and remaining unlawfully on this property," Kabbel said. "The reality is, if they're day laborers and that's where they congregate, they are no longer allowed to congregate there."
However, Kabbel added, common sense dictates these day laborers would move to another location in the city while seeking temporary work.
"It very well could cause another issue," he said.
Oliverson said the Minutemen will not hesitate to follow illegal day laborers wherever they go.
"Our ultimate goal is to get ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) out here to patrol this thing in a fashion that will cause some federal work to be done here," he said. "And the other part of that is causing public awareness so the citizens of the city will get up and go to the city council and say, 'You've got to hire more police.'"
The Prescott Police Department worries that day laborers will resurface at another congested intersection in the city - and continue their same practices.
"Our concern is for the safety of the community," Kabbel said. "So if them gathering at this location causes vehicles to stop and pull over and cause a hazardous situation on a roadway, that's a concern to law enforcement."
Minuteman Ron Katner, who has lived in Prescott since 1949, agrees that safety is one of the main issues. "This corner here is so popular, somebody's going to get hit or killed," Katner said. "Vehicles come through here 40 miles an hour, and the day laborers will walk right out in front of them."
But what about the issue of illegal aliens gathering at other locations around the city in search of jobs?
"Depending on where they move to, that should be a full city concern - the city, community, law enforcement - everybody for that matter," Kabbel said.
In recent months, Prescott Police occasionally has stationed one of its officers and a cruiser at the corner of Lincoln and Grove in an effort to educate the public about the day-laborer issue while maintaining public safety.
"These people are being exploited," said Minuteman John Jiacalone. "When they come in here, they can't get hired through normal channels, so they're getting lower wages for the work they do."
Officers have worked to build a rapport with day laborers so they fully understand the law. But the police want to keep the area safe for drivers and those who live in the nearby residential neighborhoods.
"Our goal is to ensure public safety. That's first and foremost," Kabbel said. "As far as where people go to get picked up for day labor, where they're congregating, that's another issue. If these signs are posted and authorized by the owner, then they are legal and they will be enforced."
Contact the reporter at dcook@prescottaz.com
Reader Comments
Posted: Thursday, January 31, 2008
Article comment by:
Howard
Thank God for the Minutemen. The US government won't enforce laws on legal immigration. Illegal immigrants cost this nation more than they produce Check the prisons. The highest population of prisoners is violent Illegals, This nation was built on laws. If they don't have to obey the law, why should anyone. This is the decay of our society. The illegals cause our health crisis and our schools not having enough fuunding, Severally prosecute the people that employ illegals and discontinue the free giveaways. They will repatriate on their own. Save America Minutemen , and thank you!!
Posted: Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Article comment by:
Paul W.
I am a Massachusetts liberal, but that does not mean that I believe in breaking the law or allowing others to break the law. What the Minutemen are doing in Prescott is notable and should be applauded. However, it should not be necessary. Loitering is enough of a reason for police to ask for a person's I.D. If the person is illegaly in the U.S., they should be arrested and sent to prison. Law enforcement's negligence in this area is putting law-abiding citizens at risk by forcing them to do law enforcement's job. Why are local, state and federal government agencies solax about illegal "immigration"? The same reason labor unions are having such a tough time: Because the government is being bought by big business. I am about to join Minutemen and will be on the border soon, watching. Also, I'll be watching the day-labor sites up here in Boston.
Posted: Thursday, December 27, 2007
Article comment by:
Teddy R.
I see "The Daily Courier has it's share of moronic open-boders posters who plead for these hard working poor invaders to just be left alone.
These are the same leeches who have no respect for their own flag or nation.
The Peace, Love, Diversity, "let's hold hands and dance around the maypole" bunch of anarchists.
Why is it that the U.S. is the only nation in the world that should not enfore it's borders or laws?
Posted: Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Article comment by:
marylyn stenzel
I was in arizona from 1905-1987 there wasn't enough work for an american.the wages were low and welfare was not helpful. i had a home i was paying for and 3 children. nsince then i have been liveing in mexico.rosarito beach. our property is being stolen by the government. the gangsters are killing local law inforcement daily. the mexican's have sooooo muchy money that thousands of them every day cross at 2 border crosings into san diego california every day. they are racists to the extreem. foriegners can not own property here they pay for it and the government holds the title. every year the foriegner pays the government a percentage of the current property value to do so.we also must get an fm3 visa which costs $200.00 per year. foriegners must proove that they receive $1,200.00 dollars a year. get a grip you dumb american's you are the problem i guess you still leave your door's open at night
Posted: Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Article comment by:
marylyn stenzel
I was in arizona from 1905-1987 there wasn't enough work for an american.the wages were low and welfare was not helpful. i had a home i was paying for and 3 children. nsince then i have been liveing in mexico.rosarito beach. our property is being stolen by the government. the gangsters are killing local law inforcement daily. the mexican's have sooooo muchy money that thousands of them every day cross at 2 border crosings into san diego california every day. they are racists to the extreem. foriegners can not own property here they pay for it and the government holds the title. every year the foriegner pays the government a percentage of the current property value to do so.we also must get an fm3 visa which costs $200.00 per year. foriegners must proove that they receive $1,200.00 dollars a year. get a grip you dumb american's you are the problem i guess you still leave your door's open at night
Posted: Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Article comment by:
W. Lee Radu
I'd sure like to see you Cowards that don't have the courage to post your real names, do so. That way after January 1st you might actually be held accountable for beaking the law. Don't worry though, like the other law breakers you can always find support or hide out at the local Catholic Church. Maybe someone will even give you a "Real Opportunity" and pay YOU $2.75 an hour to do THIER landscaping work. I can't see how you people are so deluded as to think you're really showing compassionate behavior in fostering the exploitation of these people via Cheap Labor and Law Breaking. YOU are THE PROBLEM, why They come here and endure the hardships that YOU help continue! GET A CLUE!
Posted: Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Article comment by:
Chris Scialdone
Dan your argument is old and tired, it is nothing more than background noise at this point. Clear thinking folks want the laws enforced, it's that simple... and that's tough to stop. And to Ms. E.L.H.... nice try, but you too have now been exposed, good try though.
Posted: Monday, December 24, 2007
Article comment by:
dan
I hope that these big government loving minute men will soon find something else to do rather than harass people who ar only looking for a work. Obviously these so called patriot (who would have big government dictate who can and who cannot work, who can and who cannot be hired) would do well to follow the example of these day workers and get a job and get a life. These people are an insult to the memory of the origional minute men who fought to keep us free from such tyrany. What could be more socialistic than to dictate to others who can or who cannot work! Base on a idiotic law that was never intended to be regulary enforced.
Posted: Monday, December 24, 2007
Article comment by:
E.L.H
I am a single older woman who lives in Prescott. I have tried many times to find help from local handymen and landscapers or yard helpers to do jobs here at my home. I have yet to have even one who would take on the smaller or labor intensive work which I would like done. I cannot find a electrician who will come and do small jobs like hanging a new light fixture for me. I hire the day laborers. Most of them are very polite and will do the work I wish done and not try to bully me or change my plan of how I would like it done. Unless I ask their advice they just do the work. They are not that inexpensive charging $10.00 and up an hour however most of the men I have hired have been very decent workers and I appreciate the help tremendously! Until there is a work force that I can turn to in this town who will do the work I need done legally I will in fact continue to hire good workers from the illegal pool and that includes at the Linclon St. or at any other location you force them to. Take my picture, call me names, or anything else but until I can find someone else to help me dig my garden or fix problems I want done at my home I will hire them. I NEED the help. Do you get it?
Oh one more thing I drive past Lincloln St. on Grove daily and I have yet to have a single one of the men JUMP in front of my car or in any other absurd way act inappropriately as they stand hour after hour trying for work. So the lot of you can go to hell in my book! I will continue to hire them when I need help.
Posted: Monday, December 24, 2007
Article comment by:
JonE
Thank you Minutemen. You are doing what our taxpayer PAID appointed and elected officials refuse to do.
Home of the free. Everyone's home town. Yep, both apply for American citizens and legal residents. The operative word here is ILLEGAL. Some people cannot seem to wrap their minds around the difference between legal and illegal.
Posted: Monday, December 24, 2007
Article comment by:
E
I am sick and tired of eveyone screamin racism. As for your comment chris about thanking god immigrants wernt treated like that when the country was being founded you need to check your facts before you open your mouth. Irish people were the mexicans of new york when they came to america. What about the slaves? I am part irish mabey I should be able to quit paying taxes, get lots of gov assistance, claim everyone is racist to my people. Come on now all anyone wants is for the illegal immigrants to do the right thing here become leagal. As for giving them a break where do you draw the line? I think they have it pretty good here so far. Most have been here long enough to become halfway leagal.
Posted: Sunday, December 23, 2007
Article comment by:
joernewton
Impediments to the free movement of humans has never been effective and indeed has been unbelievably destructive.
The genetic diversity of the USA has made one of the most effective, successful and viable countries in the world. Its only been a few years since the Berlin wall came down and look at the win-win exchanges with Russia and europe.
Posted: Sunday, December 23, 2007
Article comment by:
kicemout
Thank you to these Minutemen. The majority of us are fed up with these illegal invaders. The Minutemen are doing something about it.
Posted: Sunday, December 23, 2007
Article comment by:
darin
i hate the minuitemen. i will do what it takes to help the illegals find work. all they want to do is make a living and help their families. screw this man, this is just insane. just cuz some old idiots want to remove some people off a street i guarantee they never regularly travel because they are too pretentious, doesnt mean someones source of income should be taken away. i am good friends with plenty of illegals, and just like white people, only a few people make things seem worse than they are. how about you do something more productive like get the drug situation at the highschool taken care of? or the vandalism around town caused by caucasians between the ages of 17 and 30. how about you help families (probably your own) deal with abuse situations. this should be the least of our worries. without them, your home probably would not have been built.
Posted: Sunday, December 23, 2007
Article comment by:
pep
Thank you Minutemen. I've wanted to stop to thank you for the fine work you do, but don't want to be accosted by the illegals.
Bless you.
Posted: Sunday, December 23, 2007
Article comment by:
chris
Home of the free ..?Unless your a mexican ..?
Thank goodness immigrants wern't treated like this when our country was being founded. If they had been there would be no minutemen to be the hall monitors of the community. They would have been deported back to Poland. It seems a bit nazi'ish trying to cleanse our states and cities of these "aliens". Give these people a break....
Posted: Sunday, December 23, 2007
Article comment by:
Chris Scialdone
You got it exactly right Mr. Sanchez. Now all layers of government need to get with the program, with the vigor of the Minutemen. Pay no mind to dopey comments from folks like Richard.
Mentalities like his are old and tired, but it's all they have left.
Posted: Sunday, December 23, 2007
Article comment by:
Richard
And I thought this was "Everyone's Hometown"!
Posted: Sunday, December 23, 2007
Article comment by:
Jaun Sachez
Good for these gentlemen. I am tired of hearing poor illegals. Since they work for cheap and live 20+ to a house. They drive up the cost of everything. Rent would be cheaper if not for them being able to pay double or triple the going rate. Kudos for The Minutemen!!!
