Armed anti-government militias vow to secure the U.S.-Mexico border in a 'legal and lawful manner'

Armed anti-government militias vow to secure the U.S.-Mexico border in a 'legal and lawful manner'
(Image credit: John Moore/Getty Images)

A coalition of armed militias is mobilizing supporters to fan out along the U.S.-Mexico border to prevent immigrants from sneaking into the country. The movement, called "Operation Secure Our Border," aims to stem the recent surge of illegal immigrants into the country. But its militaristic bent and combative swagger — plus the fact that some participants also took part in the standoff at Cliven Bundy's Nevada ranch — are sparking fears of potentially violent, extralegal confrontations at the border.

"You see an illegal, you point your gun dead at him, right between his eyes, and you say, 'Get back across the border or you will be shot,'" Chris Davis, one of the organizers, says in a YouTube video that was yanked Monday amid a backlash from local Democrats.

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Jon Terbush

Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.