Border militias under the first Trump administration flourished, emboldened by surging anti-immigrant and nativist rhetoric. The Oath Keepers, which was one of the biggest militias until its founder and dozens of its members were arrested for their roles in the January 6 Capitol riot, had long engaged in border activity. (This was a point of friction among some chapters, as some members felt like the border vigilantism undermined the authority of the Border Patrol and therefore ran counter to their respect for law enforcement.) The Proud Boys have reportedly deployed to the border. Anecdotally, smaller cells have also been reported to go out looking for people who’ve made unauthorized border crossings.
Over the years, many of these groups have operated with a carte blanche from local authorities. Sheriff Mark Lamb of Pinal County, Arizona, told the Los Angeles Times that he believes…
