Border Patrol agents in the Del Rio and Laredo Sectors interdicted 10 human smuggling attempts during a six-day period ending on August 31. The incidents led to the arrest of 18 suspected human smugglers and 100 illegal immigrants.
Del Rio Station agents attempted to stop two suspicious vehicles near a local airport on August 31. The drivers attempted to flee but were subsequently stopped by the agents, according to information obtained from Del Rio Sector Border Patrol officials.
The agents conducted interviews of the passengers and identified the 15 migrants as Cuban nationals illegally present in the United States.
Two days earlier, Laredo North Station agents assigned to the Interstate 35 Immigration Checkpoint observed a tractor-trailer approaching for inspection. During the initial contact, a K-9 alerted to the possible presence of drug or human cargo in the trailer. The agents referred the driver, a Mexican national, to the secondary inspection station, Laredo Sector officials stated.
A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of 51 people packed in the trailer and one more person hiding in the sleeper cab. Officials said none of the migrants were wearing protective equipment or were practicing social distancing to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus.
Agents interviewed the 52 illegal immigrants and identified them as citizens of Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico.
On August 25, Del Rio Sector agents assigned to the Bracketville Station encountered a pickup truck on a back road suspected of hauling illegal immigrants. The agents stopped the driver and interviewed the driver and passenger. Agents reported both to be Mexican nationals, officials stated.
The remaining nine people in the back of the truck were also identified as illegal immigrants from Mexico.
That same day, Del Rio Station agents stopped a vehicle on a back road suspected of hauling migrants. During an immigration interview, the agents identified the five backseat passengers as citizens of Mexico and Honduras. The agents also identified the driver as a Honduran national with Legal Permanent Resident status.
In total, during the last six days of August, Laredo and Del Rio Sector Border Patrol agents stopped ten human smuggling incidents and arrested 100 migrants from Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico.
Under Title 42 Coronavirus protection protocols put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is likely that most of the migrants will be expelled to Mexico.
Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior news contributor for the Breitbart Texas-Border team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday-morning talk show. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX and Facebook.