The mask hasn’t just slipped; it’s been incinerated. On December 20, 2025, Senator Mike Lee and Rep. Tim Burchett introduced the Cartel Marque and Reprisal Reauthorization Act, a bill that effectively reboots 18th-century piracy for the modern age. But while the politicians use words like “patriotism” and “national security,” the MAGA base on X and Telegram is saying the quiet part out loud.
One viral response to Senator Lee’s announcement set the internet on fire: “If I could be a pirate for the USA government, as long as this is for White people, then I am DOWN!” This isn’t just about fentanyl or “protecting our shores”—it’s an open call for a maritime version of the Proud Boys to play judge, jury, and executioner in the Caribbean.
The Rage Trigger: The Controversy Everyone is Ignoring
The “dirty secret” here isn’t the piracy—it’s the racial profiling built into the bill. By authorizing private citizens to seize ships based on “cartel links,” the GOP is handing a “License to Kill” to anyone with a boat and a grudge. We’re talking about unaccountable militias with GoPros hunting down anyone who looks like they might be a “smuggler.”
Human rights attorneys are already sounding the alarm after the Sept. 15 murder of Alejandro Andres Carranza Medina, a 42-year-old fisherman killed by U.S. strikes. Now, Lee wants to outsource that violence to “Patriots” who are openly asking if they can target people based on their skin color. This isn’t law enforcement; it’s a state-sponsored lynch mob on the high seas.

