Texas ACLU urges against ‘hate-based vigilante groups’ on border
The Texas ACLU on Monday condemned civilian militia members responding to a reported surge of immigrant crossings at the Texas border as “anti-immigrant, hate-based vigilante groups.”
The San Antonio Express-News reports “a slew of anti-government groups — many of which participated in the standoff at Cliven Bundy’s Nevada ranch — are recruiting armed volunteers to travel to the Texas-Mexico border as a citizen militia to participate in “Operation Secure Our Border,” which aims to stop the surge of immigrants into the country.”
In a statement received by the A-J, the ACLU said a group identifying itself as a coalition of “Patriots,” has called on civilian militia members to assist in a militia operation called “Secure our Border – Laredo” at the Texas-Mexico border.
“We don’t need the coalition of Patriots in our backyard,” Terri Burke, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, said in a statement. “The Texas border is well under control. We don’t have a border enforcement issue, we have a humanitarian crisis. Communities are safe and there has been no documented increase in crime. We urge ranchers to be mindful that they place their hard-earned assets and livelihood at risk when they get mired in the efforts of these anti-immigrant, hate-based vigilante groups.”
More at http://lubbockonline.com/interact/blog-post/adam-d-young/2014-07-07/texas-aclu-urges-against-%E2%80%98hate-based-vigilante-groups%E2%80%99#.U7xImLFCz2Q .