If you have been a member of Border Action for a few years, you will remember when we made a big push in 2005 for the AZ Land Department NOT to renew the infamous border vigilante rancher, Roger Barnett’s grazing lease on 14,000 acres of state trust lands.  We were not successful, but we have not given up.

Since 2005, we continue to keep the pressure on the vigilantes as well as push for the government to prosecute them. Roger Barnett now has two civil judgements against him (one by a case we brought on behalf of the Morales-English families in Douglas; the other brought by MALDEF).  We are still waiting for the Organization of American States Human Rights Commission to admit our petitions against the U.S. government.

And locally, we met last month with the Interim Director of the Arizona State Land Department to see if the civil case victories would be grounds for terminating Barnett’s lease.  According to Jamie Hogue of the Land Dept, it isn’t enough. Only criminal convictions are grounds for canceling leases. So back to the books to see what else we can find. Regardless of these upsets, we will continue to work to undermine anti-immigrant, vigilante groups’ attempts to be seen as legitimate voices and legitimate businessmen.