Militia groups claiming to enforce the immigration laws along the U.S./Mexico border are nothing new.  The Minutemen and other groups have been operating for years along the border in Arizona. 

A new militia group, Patriots for America have emerged in Texas. Earlier this month, the Los Angeles Times ran a podcast on the group entitled “A new militia at the U.S.-Mexico border.”

The episode description includes the following:

“Patriots for America patrols the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas, stops migrants, and questions children. They call it faith-based ministry work; civil rights groups say they’re just another racist group of extremists. Today, we follow them in action. Read the full transcript here.“

Patriots for America is based in Texas.  Its website proclaims that “We are a diverse community of Patriot’s that love our Country.”

This Texas Monthly report describes some of the civil rights concerns implicated by the militia’s border enforcement activities.  The podcast reports on similar concerns.

The podcast includes a discussion of the possibility that the government of Uvalde County, Texas, the place of the recent mass school shooting and more than 70 percent Latina/o, may work with Patriots for America.

KJ