Border Militia

Border militias are organized groups of armed citizens in the United States who mobilize to patrol the border between the United States and Mexico and interfere with the movement of immigrants from Mexico into the United States. Militia patrols have been most active in Arizona and Texas. It is estimated that there are as many as 500 militia troops currently patrolling the U.S.-Mexican border in Arizona. Most militia patrols are made up of small groups, however, with patrols generally consisting of fewer than a dozen members. In addition to physical patrols of border areas, militias have engaged in putting political pressure on politicians—especially through rallies and protests—to pass restrictive immigration laws, to deport migrants, and to toughen border security. They have mobilized political campaigns to ...