Humanitarian Aid Is Never A Crime

Some fantastic news of the highest order hit the headlines here last week - this is a huge victory.

Border volunteers with No More Deaths — including two arrested last year and charged with transporting illegal entrants — believed they were acting with the approval of the U.S. Border Patrol, two members of the group said Monday.

Charges against Shanti A. Sellz, 24, and Daniel M. Strauss, 24, were dropped last week after U.S. District Judge Raner Collins ruled that Sellz and Strauss had been told by No More Deaths officials that they could transport sick illegal entrants under certain conditions.

"They were assured that the 'protocol' had been approved by Border Patrol and that the transportation for these medical purposes was not a violation of the law," Collins wrote.

The judge wrote that in the three years before 2005, "no one was arrested and prosecuted for following the protocol."

That protocol was an oral agreement that was re-established at the beginning of each summer over the last couple of years, said the Rev. John Fife, a member of No More Deaths.

linkage (emphasis mine)

Vivian Pettyjohn of ePluribus Media has been on top of this story from the beginning. I'm thankful that the story has made its way to the radar screen of the blogosphere. This ruling sets a precedent that is admirable - that humanitarian aid is never a crime.

Of course, there has been much wailing and gnashing of teeth from the modern-day witchhunters on the AzStar comment board. Here are some choice offerings:

4. Comment by J P. (#4811) — September 5,2006 @ 5:40AM

Rating: 7 Thumbs Up

It sounds like these two losers are people who contribute a lot to society. If they had jobs they would have been at work instead of helping terrorists into our country. Get a job humane burrito losers!

12. Comment by D M. (#6232) — September 5,2006 @ 7:15AM

Rating: 12 Thumbs Up

Let me get this straight.
If I send a letter to the DEA that I'm going to import a bazillion pounds of pot into the country and I don't hear from them, then it's OK?
Pure BS.

Entrant rescuers?
Try the illegal mexican underground railroad.
Call it for what it is.

This is no more than the red cross of the La Raza illegal invasion.
They should all be arrested for aiding illegal Anti-American activity.

Viva La Migra!

72. Comment by hazy m. (mat) — September 5,2006 @ 2:00PM

Rating: 7 Thumbs Up

Ipa d. That's not our damn problem. It's Mexico's. They need to start protesting to their Government and start improving their lives over there. If they are too lazy to do that, then start naturalization here the legal way. Violaters should be shot, survivors should be shot again.

110. Comment by Jay E. (DeportBush) — September 5,2006 @ 4:07PM

Rating: 3 Thumbs Up

Re #108: America was started by pilgrims coming here illegally.

They didn't come here illegally since there were no immigration laws at the time. There weren't 300+ million people here either. This ain't the 1700's anymore.

This land belonged to the Native Americans.

I'll bet they regret not having laws against illegal immigation, eh? LOL!!!

Har Har.
Not.