New Mexico Armed Group Claims that it Works With CBP to Round Up Illegal Immigrants
Armed Citizens at the Border “Supporting the CBP” and upholding the Constitution
“A ‘right-wing’ militia group operating in southern New Mexico has begun stopping groups of migrant families and detaining them at gunpoint before handing them over to Border Patrol agents, raising tension over the tactics of armed vigilantes along the border between the United States and Mexico,” NYT reported.
“We’re just here (for the last two months) to support the Border Patrol and show the public the reality of the border,” Jim Benvie, the groups’ spokesman told NYT in an interview. Members of his group were told not to point their weapons at any of the migrants and that the actions taken against the migrants are “verbal order of arrest.” He added that the group has a new rule in which members are not allowed to go on patrol with military-style rifles, but can still carry handguns. “We can’t make them stay if they don’t want to,” he said.
“It should go without saying that regular citizens have no authority to arrest or detain anyone,” New Mexico’s Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham also told the New York Times. ….it was “completely unacceptable” that migrant families “might be menaced or threatened in any way, shape or form when they arrive at our border,” she added.
Human rights and other right activists have taken to social media sites to criminalize the actions of the group. The ACLU referred to the group as “Fascist Militia”
Two nights ago, an armed civilian militia organization describing itself as the “United Constitutional Patriots” arrested nearly 300 people seeking safety here, including young children, in New Mexico. Other videos appear to show even more recent arrests. The vigilante members of the organization, who posted videos and photographs of the unlawful arrests, are not police or law enforcement and they have no authority under state or federal law to detain or arrest migrants, ACLU tweeted.
THE MISSION from the official FB Page
“We are here to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America.
“We are here to uphold the Constitution of The United States of America. We uphold this cause against all enemies both foreign and domestic which shall infringe upon the rights of the citizens given by the Constitution. We are here to serve in time of need at the local and state level and if necessary for our country.
The law states that: Any two or more persons, whether with or without uniform, who associate, assemble or congregate together by or under any name in a military capacity for the purpose of drilling, parading or marching at any time or place or otherwise take up or bear arms in any such capacity without authority of the Governor, must, on conviction, be fined not more than $1,000.00. This section does not apply to any school or college where military training and instruction is given under the provisions of state or federal laws. We are covered under the 501C3 Home of the 5th.”
From the United Constitutional Patriots FB Page:
United Constitutional Patriots New Mexico Border Ops more still flooding in… Amazing work being done at the border by United Constitutional Patriots – New Mexico Border Ops. Working with #CBP they detained a huge group last night from Guatemala. We need more highly trained groups like this working with CBP at the border. We also need Congress to act. There is a crisis at the southern border.