Photo: SERGIO FLORES / AFP / Getty Images
For: EFE
Sunday, September 29
Extremist militias patrol the border in Arizona to prevent the arrival of immigrants
Immigrant defenders have warned about the presence of members of anti-immigrant militias and extremist groups on the border of Arizona with Mexico who arrive with the mission to intercept and detain undocumented immigrants , posing a threat to migrants and the national security of the United States.
The warning is based on a investigation spearheaded by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) that has exposed white nationalist and extremist activity on the southern U.S. border, but especially on the border it shares Pima County , Arizona, with Mexico.
The report “White Nationalists, Jan.6 Protesters, and QAnon: What You Need to Know About Border Patrols Along the Border” is the latest of three reports.from the investigation carried out by the SPLC Intelligence Project, which revealed the existence of extremist self-defense groups that allegedly aim to detain migrants and harass humanitarian organizations in that sector.
“The situation at the border is becoming increasingly dangerous as a result that members of the militia sometimes act as law enforcement officers ”, warned at a press conference Susan Corke , director of the SPLC Intelligence Project.
These militias were detected through a review of social media and visits to communities near the border.
The SPLC found that militia groups are trying to intimidate the immigrants and allegedly assisting Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in policing the border and interception of undocumented persons.
Conspiracy theories
Although researchers have reported this phenomenon for years, research found an increase since 2020 fueled by far-right conspiracy theories popular under the Administration of the now-former president Donald Trump (2017 – 2020).
SPLC analyst Freddy Cruz pointed out that many of these “vigilantes” support their presence at the border, citing QAnon conspiracy theories that promote the slogan “Save the Children”, assuring that “many of the migrants traffic with children, they are drug traffickers and organ harvesters. ”
“ Of course, human trafficking is a huge problem, but many of these groups are operating under the premise that they are saving to the Americans ”, stressed Cruz.
In addition to QAnon’s followers, the SPLC identified among the alleged “vigilantes” four people accused of participating in an attack on the federal Capitol on January 6 , a snake oil seller and a group of anti-Semitic militias trying to recruit supporters in a notorious nationalist forum.
The investigation, whose reports began to be released last July, maintains that these groups detain migrants and call CBP agents to take them into custody.
Migrant advocates also accuse these people of damaging the water stations installed by the Humane Borders organization to help those who cross the border to survive the treacherous journey through the desert. They also allegedly use water stations as decoys in remote areas to lure migrants before intercepting them.
“Sometimes they stalk some of the migrants who come. They put up cameras to see them in the middle of the night and track them. Sometimes they invite groups of militiamen from other states to join them ”, explained Jamila Paksima, host of the SPLC podcast “Sounds Like Hate.”
The SPLC has already informed the government of the president Joe Biden of the situation he describes as “worrying”. In a letter sent by the Secretary of National Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, the organization lists the groups that exist and the evidence they have about their actions.
In the letter, the SPLC notes that “throughout our review, it appears that the Border Patrol in the (Pima County) area has been aware of the militia presence since at least 2017 ”. A relationship that seems to be very cordial because of the videos shared in which Border Patrol agents have hugged the militias and, in one case in late May, an agent even met with members of the Veterans on Patrol (VOP) group and praised Your activities.
Cruz highlighted that apparently “many of these agents have been aware of the situation at the border, but in reality nothing has been done about it.”
The SPLC said it has not yet received a response from the Biden Administration on this matter.
“Basically, I think the central problem here is that no one seems to want to take any responsibility for what is happening right now,” insisted Cruz.
In a Statement sent to KGUN Television in Tucson, Arizona, CBP said that this institution “neither endorses nor supports to any private group or organization not to take matters into their own hands, as this could have disastrous consequences for personal and public safety. ”
It may interest you:
– Civil group armed against immigrants warns: “If Texas falls, the rest of the country will also fall”
– They deny bail to the leader of the militia that detained immigrants at the border
– Authorities report the massive arrival of migrants on the border of Mexico with Arizona