For several years, America’s scattered militia groups have been somewhat dormant, their membership at a standstill or even dwindling and their activities limited to rants and blogs on the Internet. Many of them have become glorified debating clubs full of members who have no military background whatsoever.

Recent events in U.S. politics, however, have the militia movement stirring again. They’re stepping up activity, signing up new members and battening down the hatches.

The June 26 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in the landmark Heller v. Washington D.C. gun-ban case reaffirmed to many militia members their legitimacy. In the prevailing opinion, the Court specifically affirmed the right of militias to exist. The Court, citing among other things the original purposes of the framers of the Constitution, held: “The prefatory clause comports with the Court’s interpretation of the operative clause. The “militia” comprised all males physically capable of acting in concert for the common defense. The Antifederalists feared that the Federal Government would disarm the people in order to disable this citizens’ militia, enabling a politicized standing army or a select militia to rule. The response was to deny Congress power to abridge the ancient right of individuals to keep and bear arms, so that the ideal of a citizens’ militia would be preserved.”

The affirmation is a slap in the face to the Bush Administration and both the Republican and Democratic parties, which have for years attempted to brand the militia movement as extremist and even terrorist in nature as they sought to consolidate governmental power. But even before the decision, the militias were on the move on their own.

In Texas, at least three unaffiliated militia groups have indicated they may act to close the border with Mexico themselves should Congress act to grant amnesty to the 40 million illegal immigrants who are currently in the U.S.

“This is entirely unacceptable,” says a spokesman for the one of the groups. “Every national poll on the issue indicates that 80 percent of Americans oppose amnesty. We’re all for improving immigration law, we don’t have a problem with establishing a guest worker program, but we will not accept a mass amnesty for people who are killing more Americans every day than are dying on the battlefields of the Middle East.

“Governor (Rick) Perry, when he ran for re-election, said he would protect our border if the federal government wouldn’t,” the spokesman, who asked not to be identified, said. “Well, Governor, they’re not protecting our border, and you’re not doing anything. It may be up to us to do it ourselves.”

The 2008 presidential elections are a major focus of many groups, who fear that should John McCain win over Barack Obama – especially if the election is very close -- that the U.S. may see widespread rioting.