You don't have to be from Arizona to have heard of the Minuteman Project. The project consists of U.S. men and women who are passionate about preventing illegal immigration into the U.S. It's a controversial group, a point that can be seen in an Arizona case involving a man who reportedly helped shape the Minuteman group.

According to the Arizona Daily Star, the U.S. Supreme Court recently made the final ruling in a case against a defendant who was accused of violating the rights of a group of illegal immigrants in Douglas. He was accused of various offenses, including assault and false imprisonment and now, about seven years since the incident occurred, he has to answer to the high court.

The matter has been viewed by many in the public as a debate over whether a non-law enforcement member of community has a right to go after supposedly illegal immigrants. In 2004, the defendant reportedly held a group of illegal immigrants captive, threatening them with an assault rifle and his dog. A trial court found him guilty of various counts of assault back in 2009 and ordered him to pay damages to the alleged victims.

After years of appealing that decision, the U.S. Supreme Court has ultimately ruled against the defendant. He must pay the victims nearly $90,000 in damages as a result of the assault and the emotional distress he caused. Apparently, the courts didn't believe the defendant's statement that he was defending himself on the day the incident occurred. He claims that he was afraid of the group because he thought they may have been a group of violent drug smugglers.

There is no doubt that the debate over illegal immigration pervades various other areas of life, especially in Arizona and other border states. Until the immigration issue is more solidly addressed, it's going to be necessary for the legal system to address the gray areas created by the controversy.

Source

Arizona Daily Star: "Assault ruling upheld against Arizona border rancher," Brady McCombs, Oct. 5, 2011