The government of Mexico will use all legal channels to fight the formation of vigilante patrol groups along the U.S-Mexico border, Foreign Minister Luis
Derbez said on Monday.

In addition, Derbez said that the issue would be broached with U.S. Secretary of State Condolezza Rice during her March 10 official visit to Mexico.

Derbez was speaking specifically to the formation of the Minuteman Project: a 500strong volunteer group that plans to patrol a 40-mile stretch of the Arizona border throughout April.

Officials on both sides of the border fear the Minuteman patrols could cause more trouble than they prevent. At least some of the volunteers plan to arm themselves during the 24-hour desert patrols. Many are untrained and have little or no experience in confronting illegal border crossings.

The Mexican government has already hired a Los Angelesbased legal firm to prepare a report on possible legal actions to challenge such vigilante groups, Derbez said Monday.