NORTH COUNTY -- A small, relatively unknown political party opposing illegal immigration has been surfacing in the last few weeks, standing alongside the San Diego Minutemen and recruiting members from the group.

The American Independent Party's platform calls for reducing illegal immigration and eliminating taxpayer benefits for people living in the country illegally. It has about 315,000 members statewide and about 31,000 members in San Diego County, compared to about 533,000 Republicans in the county.

The party's state chairman, Edward C. Noonan, said Monday that he wants the party and the Minutemen, an anti-illegal immigration group, to close ranks. He said that with the Minutemen's support, he hopes party candidates will be elected in the county.

Noonan recently appointed D. Clark chairman of the party's local committee. Clark is an ally of San Diego Minuteman founder Jeff Schwilk.

Schwilk, who said he has been working with the party for about a year, serves as communications director for the party's local central committee. He said he was attracted to the party for its strong stance on illegal immigration.

Clark said he has been affiliated with the American Independent Party since he and his father campaigned for Alabama Gov. George C. Wallace when he ran for president under the party's banner in 1968.

Clark ran unsuccessfully for county supervisor in 2000.

Noonan said Monday that he appointed Clark because he wants the party to take a more assertive stance on illegal immigration.

"I can assure you the San Diego Minutemen will be very involved in local politics and, henceforth, San Diego is on notice that things will change politically forever," Noonan wrote in an April 1 letter to the county registrar of voters announcing his decision to appoint Clark.

The American Independent Party was founded by Wallace in 1967. He was a controversial figure who supported segregation during the Civil Rights Movement but later moderated his views.

Though the San Diego Minutemen are in line with the party's anti-illegal immigration stance, some in the party opposed Clark's appointment. Lemon Grove resident Nancy Spirkoff, whose father, William K. Shearer, founded the party in California, said the appointment is a blow to the party.

"I'm very disturbed," Spirkoff said Monday. She is past state chairwoman of the party and previously served as the party's chairwoman in San Diego County.

Spirkoff said she is concerned about Clark's ties to Schwilk. The Minutemen leader is involved in two unresolved legal cases.

A woman who worked as a legal rights observer with the American Civil Liberties Union in San Diego recently sued Schwilk, alleging defamation.

Also, San Diego police recently served a warrant to search Schwilk's Oceanside home as part of a criminal investigation into the vandalism of three migrant camps in Rancho Penasquitos. Schwilk has said he was not involved in the incident. No charges have been filed, and the case is still under investigation.

Schwilk successfully asked the court to retrieve some of his belongings taken by police during the search, including some computer equipment. He argued in court last week that the computer equipment included information related to his political work.

On Monday, Schwilk said that some in the party are spreading misinformation relating to the migrant camp vandalism case as part of a campaign to get Clark thrown out. Schwilk added that his group is "fighting to keep him in power."

Clark said the San Diego Minutemen and their work complement the party's anti-illegal immigration platform.

"We're drawing a line in the sand," Clark said. "If you are not with us, you are against us."

Spirkoff said she believes illegal immigrants should be deported, but it should be done "in the most humane way possible."

"I don't see how dragging the party through the mud can be good for the party," she said about the affiliation with the San Diego Minutemen.

Noonan, who is a member of the Arizona-based Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, said the party's platform and the San Diego Minutemen activism are compatible.

Staff writer William Finn Bennett contributed to this report. Contact staff writer Edward Sifuentes at (760) 740-3511 or esifuentes@nctimes.com.