A militia group who ignited controversy about the treatment of immigrants along the U.S.-Mexico border are back in the headlines following the arrest of the group's leader. United Constitutional Patriots (UCP) founder Larry Mitchell Hopkins was taken into custody by FBI agents on Saturday for being a convicted felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, The Daily Beast reported. Hopkins, who also goes by the name "John Horton Jr.," was convicted of impersonating a police officer in 2006, The Daily Beast said. "This is a dangerous felon who should not have weapons around children and families. Today's arrest by the FBI indicates clearly that the rule of law should be in the hands of trained law enforcement officials, not armed vigilantes," New Mexico's Attorney General Hector Balderas said in a statement. Hopkins and UCP came under fire this week after a video was posted to Facebook where members of the group detained over 200 migrants who had crossed the U.S.-Mexico border near the militia's camp in Sunland Park, New Mexico. In a separate video, also recently filmed, the group members were holding semiautomatic weapons near children. Speaking to BuzzFeed News, group member Mark Cheney said the UCP would be "fools" not to be armed when interacting with immigrants. He also acknowledged that some group members wore badges similar to those worn by Border Patrol agents. "If [immigrants] can't tell the difference, that's their problem," Cheney told BuzzFeed. Some viewers of the videos said UCP members had falsely represented themselves as members of Border Patrol, prompting several warnings to be issued by various law enforcement agencies. Peter Simonson, executive director for the ACLU of New Mexico, told BuzzFeed that the militia did not have grounds to make a citizen's arrest, as one can only be made when a felony crime is committed. Illegal entry into the United States is a misdemeanor. Like others, Simonson expressed concern that the UCP might be impersonating law enforcement, saying, "That's one crime that is a federal felony. I also suspect the militias could be guilty of false imprisonment and maybe even kidnapping, and that's just the tip of the iceberg." The group claimed they were working with the permission of U.S. Border Patrol Agents, but the agency has denied such claims. "We work with other federal agencies. Private groups like these we typically don't reach out to," Border Patrol Agent Jose Romero told KVIA-TV in a March interview. Romero added that the group was allowed to remain on private land and observe, "as long as they don't interact with and try to get involved in the midst of the immigration process, or enforcing the laws on the border. That's our job," he said. Group members told KVIA they were aware they were not allowed to detain anyone. However, Jim, a spokesperson for UCP, told The Daily Beast that the group has worked with Border Patrol on many occasions. "There's no question about whether or not we work with Border Patrol. That's all documented, and not just once. It's documented hundreds and hundreds of times over in the videos that I post," he said. The group frequently shares videos to social media of their interaction with migrants along the border, some of which show Border Patrol agents in the area. Hopkins' arrest is the latest blow to the group, which has seen its accounts with PayPal and GoFundMe frozen, preventing their efforts to fundraise in order to remain at the border. UCP set up camp in February 2019 and has pledged to remain in the area until President Donald Trump's border wall was constructed. "They killed us," Cheney told BuzzFeed. "I have to find some other way for people to donate. ...As the commander, it's my responsibility to find some way for people to donate." Hopkins is expected to make an appearance at the U.S. District Court in Las Cruces, New Mexico, on April 22.<doc-sep>Hopkins leads the United Constitutional Patriots, or UCP, one of several militias that have taken to patrolling the U.S.-Mexico border. The patrols have been prompted by a recent surge in caravans of Central American migrants and emboldened by President Trump’s assertion that the arrivals constitute an “invasion.” The militia’s stated objective is to “uphold the Constitution of The United States of America” and to protect citizens’ rights “against all enemies both foreign and domestic” — which mimics the Oath of Enlistment taken by U.S. service members.<doc-sep>[Read the latest edition of Crossing the Border, a limited-run newsletter about life where the United States and Mexico meet. Sign up here to receive the next issue in your inbox.] ALBUQUERQUE — The F.B.I. on Saturday arrested the leader of a right-wing militia that was detaining migrant families at gunpoint near the border in southern New Mexico, as the group faced a torrent of criticism for its tactics. Hector Balderas, New Mexico’s attorney general, said federal agents had arrested the leader, Larry Mitchell Hopkins, who had been operating under the alias Johnny Horton Jr. Mr. Balderas said in a statement that Mr. Hopkins was arrested on charges of firearms possession by a felon. “This is a dangerous felon who should not have weapons around children and families,” Mr. Balderas said. “Today’s arrest by the F.B.I. indicates clearly that the rule of law should be in the hands of trained law enforcement officials, not armed vigilantes.”<doc-sep>The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said Saturday that it had arrested a member of an armed group that had been detaining Central American migrants near the US-Mexico border. Larry Hopkins, also known as Johnny Horton, was taken into custody in Sunland Park, New Mexico on suspicion of illegally possessing firearms and ammunition, the FBI said. Read more: Trump threatens to close US-Mexican border The 69-year-old had presented himself as the leader of the Sunland Park-based United Constitutional Patriots (UCP). Since February, the group has posted videos of its members capturing Central American migrants, including families with small children, and holding them until US border police arrive. "Today's arrest by the FBI indicates clearly that the rule of law should be in the hands of trained law enforcement officials, not armed vigilantes," said Hector Balderas, New Mexico's attorney general. Read more: Donald Trump's national emergency at the border: What you need to know The presence of civilian militias along the US-Mexico border has become particularly controversial in recent months amid a surge in the number of children crossing the border. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) issued a formal complaint about UCP after the militia posted a video earlier this week that showed UCP members guarding some 300 migrants. Jim Benvie, a UCP spokesman, said in a video that the group was helping a "stressed and overstrained Border Patrol." amp/kl (Reuters, AP) Every evening, DW sends out a selection of the day's news and features. Sign up here.<doc-sep>
The FBI arrested the leader of a private militia group that detains migrants on the US-Mexico border Saturday for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. The group operates in New Mexico. Larry Mitchell Hopkins, who also goes by Johnny Horton Jr. according to the FBI, is a member of the United Constitutional Patriots in New Mexico. The group posted images and video of its operations on its Facebook page; some of the videos show immigrants being detained by armed members. A recent video the group posted caught the eye of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which called on New Mexico’s governor and attorney general to both condemn the militia and end its operations. In response to the arrest, New Mexico’s attorney general, Hector Balderas, released a statement that said in part, “This is a dangerous felon who should not have weapons around children and families.” Balderas added, “The arrest by the FBI indicates clearly that the rule of law should be in the hand of trained law enforcement officials, not armed vigilantes.” Mexico also chimed in on the actions of private militias on the border. Hours before news of the arrest broke, the country’s Ministry of Foreign Relations released a statement warning private militias operating on the US-Mexico border could lead to potential human rights abuses for those traveling through Mexico to request asylum from the United States. Over a year ago, immigrant caravans traveling through Mexico captured the attention of President Donald Trump, who claimed the immigrants, many of whom hoped to request asylum, posed a danger to the United States. A number of militia groups on the border took notice as well. A spokesperson for United Constitutional Patriots said the group has detained 5,600 immigrants in the last two months, and said the group does nothing more than “to support the Border Patrol.” US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has asked private citizens not to try to help it do its job. Instead, it suggests concerned citizens witnessing illegal border crossings call immigration and border officials rather than trying to apprehend immigrants themselves.