"I'm really appalled that (the Minuteman Project) would use 9/11 to publicize a plan (to secure U.S. borders)

NEW YORK Immigration activists clashed at the site of the World Trade Center on Wednesday when an anti-illegal immigration group called for secure borders to avoid a repeat of the September 11 attacks and counterprotesters yelled "racists go home."


Members of the Minuteman Project, which patrols the U.S.-Mexican border for illegal immigrants, pushed and shoved members of an immigrant rights group that showed up at the event.

Jim Gilchrist and Jerome Corsi, authors of "Minutemen: The Battle to Secure America's Borders," were whisked away when some immigrant rights supporters broke through a police barrier and scuffled with Minutemen supporters.

Corsi, who also wrote a book critical of Sen. John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign, accused President Bush of leaving U.S. borders wide open.

"When the World Trade Center was attacked, we saw a failure of the Bush administration to protect our borders and to enforce our immigration laws

Gilchrist and Corsi said they held their event at Ground Zero to dedicate their book to the families of the September 11 victims.

About 50 immigrant rights advocates waved placards reading, "New York is an immigrant town -- Minuteman not welcome," while about 30 anti-illegal immigration protesters held banners that said, "Stop the invasion" and "U.S. jobs for U.S. citizens."

Polls show immigration reform is an important issue to many Americans, but negotiations over immigration reform have stalled in the U.S. Congress. The House of Representatives and the Senate have passed vastly different bills and it is increasingly unlikely the two sides will bridge differences ahead of the November congressional elections.

Senate legislation would give the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants a chance to earn U.S. citizenship, while the House bill that would criminalize illegal presence.

Stephen Durham, 58, was one of 50 activists who protested the Minutemen's appearance in New York

So it was the pro-illegal protesters that started it?

I am appalled that anyone would take the side of illegal immigrants! They are criminals! I am all for the Minutemen. They are doing the job that our government won't.

I'm appalled too.

While their cause is just, they shouldn't be going about it the way they are.

Since when has "illegal" become "racist"? Illegal is illegal, no matter what nationality.

And if our borders were secure, most of those terrorist wouldn't have been able to come in to our country in the first place.

Keep the illegals out. Let the ones who want to immigrate legally in. Whatever their color.

Fight terrorism but be humane in regulating immigration. It is the better option.

I'm really appalled that your hatred of Bush so clouds your judgment that you don't realize how many extremists are crossing our borders right now. Hezbollah, Al Queda, Hamas are all dead set to kill as many Americans as possible before they die. Their book tells them it is their fate.

It is about National Security stupido!

We ARE all immigrants, but we are NOT all Illegal Immigrants. Do you not understand the difference?
I welcome immigrants, but I want the illegal immigration STOPPED. My thanks to the Minutemen for doing WHAT THEY ARE DOING.

I do not agree with using a place like the 9/11 memorial site to protest much of anything, but I do agree that people need to wake up.

I am appalled by that racist group that attacks Americans run by that ill informed Enrique MORONes. Now that is racist!

Support the Minutemen!

all i know is that all the friends and family i have who have come into this country illegally, and became legalized, THEY CAME TO WORK, yes HARDWORK, not burger king jobs,
i am talking about lower than minimum wage hardcore no AC warehouse sowing, and cleaning the toilets at hotels, and cleaning houses for folk ( about 40 bucks a day usually)
not make bombs and blow up planes.

SINCE WHEN IS CRAP STAINED TOILET CLEANING THE SAME AS BLOWING UP PLANES?
i do respect what the minute men's points are but not the racism.
you know how many times a friend of mine (canadian) has entered the country, and all they ask him is "how long is your stay" "oh i dont know about 2 weeks" "go right ahead sir", haha.

and trust me i know i lived in montreal for a couple of year.

This is yankee propaganda! September 11th has nothing to do with Mexicans or other Hispanics ,BUT these racist minuto hombres?, know how to grind into the subconciuos of Newyorkers who are still raw from the sept. 11th destruction. Mexico is part of AMERICA! You better believe it. always will , Spanish was spoken FIRST in the new world, The veggies are picked up by Mexicans , women ,men and children! To God what belongs to God and to ceasar what belongs to Ceasar.

At least 3 of the plane pilots on 9/11 were illegal immigrants. Since 9/11 Al Quaida members have crossed the border from Mexico. (See the testimony at recent House Hearings.)

The Minutemen stand for border security. Where is the disconnect?

Why? 9-11 happened precisely because of and utterly broken
immigration system, I couldn't think of a better place to do it. My brother was in "A" tower, which was the first tower to get hit that
morning, he was able to get out, other people I knew didn't I never
want that to happen again and I don't care what these people have to do to publicize the atrocious situation on our borders. Also, yes
immigrant labor built this country ( Leeeeeeeeeeegle!!! ) immigrant
labor.

And it's a proven fact that several of the hijackers entered the US through Mexico. They have a valid point. What's yours?

they have a right to use 9/11 if they want to. with the action they are taking they are preventing another one

隆Viva Los Minutemen! 隆Viva!