PHOENIX (AP) - An Arizona lawmaker said Monday that she has received several sexually threatening e-mails in response to her bill that would make armed civil patrols an act of domestic terrorism.

Democratic state Rep. Kyrsten Sinema of Phoenix, an immigrants rights advocate whose proposal targets the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps and other groups that patrol the border, said she reported the e-mails to the FBI and Arizona Department of Public Safety.

There were no immediate responses late Monday afternoon from either law enforcement agency on whether they would investigate Sinema's complaint.

Sinema said she has received threats in the past but reported some recent e-mails because, unlike those from the past, they were of a sexual nature.

"This is the really frightening extreme part of our community," Sinema said.

Sinema said the e-mails came after the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps issued a press release criticizing her bill (HB2286) as an affront to members of the group.

The lawmaker said she wasn't accusing the group of being responsible for the e-mails. "It's individuals who are doing this," Sinema said.

Stacey O'Connell, the past president of the Arizona chapter who remains a member the group, said the group had nothing to do with the sexually threatening e-mails.

"That's not coming from any professional member of the Minuteman organization," O'Connell said.

The bill would make such crime a felony punishable by 18 months in prison. If a violator would be given probation, it would carry a six-month mandatory sentence in county jail.

Minuteman volunteers have gone to the border to spot and report illegal crossers to authorities.

Supporters said group volunteers are performing a valuable service at a time when the government has done a poor job of border enforcement. Critics said the group presents a danger to the country because they are assuming the duties of law enforcement without having any of the necessary training.

O'Connell said the bill would violate constitutional freedoms on speech, assembly and bearing arms and would stand as a barrier to neighborhood watch groups.

O'Connell predicted Sinema wouldn't make any progress in pushing the bill at the Legislature and that her proposal is an angry response to the enforcement of a state immigrant smuggling law and four immigration ballot proposals that were overwhelmingly approved by voters in November.

Sinema proposed a similar bill last year. It never received a committee hearing. This year's version hasn't received a committee hearing in the legislative session that began Jan. 8.

On the Net:

Arizona Legislature: http://www.azleg.state.az.us

Minuteman Civil Defense Corps: http://www.minutemanhq.com/hq/