El Paso Border Sector Agents Stop 49 Human Smuggling Incidents in One Week

El Paso Sector Border Patrol agents operating in Texas and New Mexico interdicted nearly 50 human smuggling incidents in the last week. The interdictions led to the apprehension of nearly 300 migrants.

Border Patrol officials highlighted three of the 49 migrant smuggling interdictions during the past week. Ysleta Station Border Patrol agents patrolling in Texas along U.S. Highway 62/180 on January 9 encountered a dark-colored pickup truck. Inside the truck, several people attempted to conceal themselves, according to a statement provided to Breitbart Texas.

Agents stopped the vehicle and conducted an immigration inspection. During the inspection, the agents identified seven migrants as being Mexican nationals without authorization to be in the United States, officials stated. The agents screened the migrants and expelled them to Mexico under Title 42 authority.

The agents also identified the driver of the smuggling vehicle as a Mexican national. Agents arrested the driver who will face prosecution for human smuggling under 8 USC 1324, officials reported.

The following day, Deming Station agents assigned to an interior tactical immigration checkpoint observed six vehicles driving in tandem. During the inspection, several individuals attempted to flee on foot. Agents detained the people in short order, officials stated.

In total, agents found 38 migrants who were being smuggled in the six vehicles. Agents identified the migrants, including unaccompanied minors, as citizens of Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico. The agents also identified all six drivers as citizens of Mexico. The drivers now face federal charges of Conspiracy to Transport migrants under 8 USC 1324, the statement continues.

Deming Station agents patrolling New Mexico State Road 26 observed a suspicious black SUV and conducted an immigration inspection stop on January 11. The agents found eight migrants attempting to conceal themselves in the SUV, officials stated. The agents identified the migrants as citizens of Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico. The group included one unaccompanied child.

Agents arrested the driver, a U.S. legal permanent resident for conspiracy to transport.

Officials stated that the migrants amenable to Title 42 were expelled to Mexico. The remaining migrants were transported to the El Paso Central Processing Center and will be processed under Title 8.

“Transnational Criminal Organizations continue to recklessly endanger the lives of the migrants they smuggle for their own financial gain and with no regard for human life.” El Paso Sector Acting Chief Patrol Agent Peter Jaquez said in the statement. “Human smuggling is a federal crime and the El Paso Sector will continue to work diligently with our U.S. Attorney partners in the West Texas District and the State of New Mexico to prosecute smugglers that endanger and exploit migrants.”

Officials report that during FY22, which ended on September 30, 2022, arrests by El Paso Sector agents led to 642 prosecutions of human smuggling-related charges. During the first two months of FY23, arrests led to 141 cases.

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.