U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents near the Texas-Mexico border disrupted five human smuggling events on Monday and Tuesday, resulting in the arrests of 20 people.
On Monday morning, in Mission, Texas. McAllen Border Patrol Station agents arrested four people who said they were in the U.S. illegally. During processing, agents discovered that one of the subjects was a U.S. citizen who had lied about her identity and had prior migrant smuggling charges.
Later Monday, a Falfurrias Border Patrol Station agent witnessed several people get into a Jeep at a rest stop, and when agents attempted to stop the vehicle, a brief pursuit ensured.
When the driver finally stopped, two passengers got out of the vehicle and ran into the brush. One was later arrested and transported to the station. Both the driver and another passenger, both U.S. citizens, were handed over to the Brooks County Sheriff’s Office and charged with state migrant smuggling.
Another incident occurred on Monday, when Rio Grande Valley agents and deputies with the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office received a call about migrants at a hotel in McAllen; seven illegal immigrants were apprehended.
On Tuesday, RVG agents attempted to stop two U.S. Highway 281 near Linn. Both incidents ended with vehicles crashing through ranch fences, leaving the vehicles and running into the brush. Agents apprehended six illegal immigrants, but the drivers were not located.
All subjects were processed according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.