MALDEF, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, a well known open borders proponent has filed a lawsuit against Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever for an incident that occurred March 7, 2004. The suit alleges that the sheriff did nothing to prevent Roger Barnett, a rancher and owner of the land, from holding a group of 19 illegal aliens at gunpoint, yelling obscenities at them and kicking one of the women. In the lawsuit it also mentions that the Barnett's have admitted to turning over 12,000 illegal entrants to the Border Patrol since 1998.

Arizona Daily Star

Calling the group "racist liars," Barnett says he doesn't recall the incident ever taking place and said he hasn't been served with a lawsuit.

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The suit alleges that on March 7, 2004, 19 illegal entrants were resting in a wash near Douglas when Barnett pulled up on an all-terrain vehicle with a large, barking dog. It claims that Barnett waved his cocked gun at the group, and yelled obscenities at them.

Barnett then walked up to one of the women and kicked her in the leg, then tried to kick her again, the suit alleges. He then called his wife, who arrived with a truck and summoned the U.S. Border Patrol.

The entrants allegedly tried to tell the Border Patrol agents what had happened but were menaced by Barnett.

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It names Dever because he has done nothing to stop Barnett from apprehending illegal entrants, said MALDEF lawyer Araceli Perez.

"Little has been done to remedy this in his own back yard," she said.

The civil rights group hopes to send a message to vigilantes that they cannot operate with impunity, Perez said.

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The suit asks a jury to reward a total of $16 million in actual damages and $16 million in punitive damages against all the defendants, she said. The money sought is not broken up among the defendants in any particular way but lists the Barnetts, Dever and the 10 unidentified defendants.

"They're trying to destroy the United States like this," Barnett said.

I don't condone him kicking the woman, but if this was on his own land I would consider him holding them until Border Patrol arrives an act of citizens arrest.

Tipped by: Right Thinking From The Left Coast