This week, former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Buz Mills assumed the chairmanship of Border Sheriffs, an organization founded by Arizona sheriffs Paul Babeu and Larry Dever’s to support Arizona’s recently passed immigration law, SB 1070. The non-profit group is focused on raising private funds for the legal defense of the 15 named sheriffs in lawsuits leveled by the ACLU and the Justice Department.
Babeu, of Pinal County, and Dever, of Cochis County, are two of the officials targeted in lawsuits against the new Arizona immigration law. The pair have been outspoken opponents of the federal government’s attempt to target their state and prevent them from doing their jobs.
Mills shares Babeu and Dever’s enthusiasm for secure borders and enforcement of the law. A retired Marine and owner of Gunsite Academy — a military and law enforcement training facility — Mills has been associated with civilian protection his whole life and is well acquainted with the struggles occurring on the border. “I spent a lot of time on the border before it was cool and I know the people,” he said in an interview with The Daily Caller. “I’ve visited their homes, travelled the border day after day, been out with the patrols and SWAT teams. I am very familiar with what is going on down there.”
Mills is glad to be able to help, but frustrated with the way the government has been demonizing Arizona. “I’ll be leading the charge in all areas here. We’d like to turn the tables around on these pointy heads and go on offense here,” he said.
Mills went on to say that he has been disappointed by the lack of support the federal government has given law enforcement in border states, and that the aid they have gotten in recent days is far from suitable. “I was on the border last week and we’ve got to have more help, have more boots on the ground to stop the violence and round these turkeys up,” he said.
Mills says the group is getting a lot of support. Since the effort began a little over a month ago, the organization has been able to raise over $100,000. “I am confident that we will prevail over these lawsuits,” he said. “For goodness sake, you can’t, in America, sue somebody for doing their job! And that is what this is all about. These is no way we can let this stand.”
Babeu and Dever were pleased to bring Mills aboard. “We welcome Buz’s leadership and entrepreneurial experience to help continue our fight against the unjust lawsuits brought against loyal and dedicated law enforcement in our great state,” the sheriffs said in a statement to the press. “Buz understands the urgent need to secure our border with Mexico and has helped train many law enforcement officers and understands the mission. Buz will help us defend ourselves against an Administration that refuses to do what we must—secure our borders and stop the flow of drug traffickers and criminals into Arizona and the rest of the country.”
Mills is encouraging opponents of SB 1070 to come to Arizona and see the carnage on the border first hand.
“I challenge any of these administration officials, any of the perpetrators of these lawsuits to come to Arizona, to ride with me down on the border and I’ll show you what this is about,” he said. “Because when they are sitting their in their Beltway air conditioned offices, they have not idea what we are going through out here and they need to get out and see what is actually going on.”
