Protests at border crossings canceled by organizers for fear of drug cartel violence

JUAREZ, MEXICO - MARCH 25: Police stand near the car where the body of a 13 year old boy lies dead, one of numerous murders over a 24 hour period, on March 25, 2010 in Juarez, Mexico. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano all visited Mexico on March 23 for discussions centered on Mexico's endemic drug-related violence. The border city of Juarez, Mexico has been racked by violent drug related crime recently and has quickly become one of the most dangerous cities in the world to live. As drug cartels have been fighting over ever lucrative drug corridors along the United States border, the murder rate in Juarez has risen to 173 slayings for every 100,000 residents. President Felipe Calderon's strategy of sending 7000 troops to Juarez has not mitigated the situation. With a population of 1.3 million, 2,600 people died in drug-related violence last year and 500 so far this year, including two Americans recently who worked for the U.S. Consulate and were killed as they returned from a children's party. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) (2010 Getty Images)

Protests against illegal immigration planned for more than a dozen border crossings in the southwest over the weekend were called off because of threats, evidently from Mexican drug cartels.

The protests, which were titled "Shut Down All Ports of Entry," were scrapped because of what one organizer, Stasyi Barth, attributed to threats and worrisome messages directed at the protesters.

"If you attend, you are not just putting yourself in danger, but the law enforcement officers, as well," Barth wrote, Reuters reported. "Risking anyone's life is not worth it!"

The intent of the protest was to stop incoming and outgoing traffic at border crossings in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California to express anger over the Obama administration's immigration policy.

Another one of the event's organizers, Rob Chupp, suggested to the wire service that Mexican drug cartels were behind the threats.

Reuters added that U.S. Customs and Border Protection said it was working with police departments in those areas to address the possibility of violence at the locations where the protests had been planned.