In that context it doesn't make much sense to me to be talking about all settlers, but rather about the specific settlers the article is about. But that bit is not a direct quote, and something may have been lost in translation in the first place, so hard to be sure what was intended.
Also most of the world (including the US) considers all settlements (and therefore, settlers) to be illegal, so there's that.
Also most of the world (including the US) considers all settlements (and therefore, settlers) to be illegal, so there's that.