YUMA, Ariz. – Yuma Sector Border Patrol agents stopped numerous human smuggling attempts Thursday evening to Sunday afternoon. In six separate smuggling attempts, agents arrested 5 United States citizens and 24 illegal aliens.
On Thursday evening, agents assigned to the Highway 78 checkpoint located and arrested seven illegal aliens attempting to walk around the checkpoint. The previous day, the group illegally crossed into the United States near Calexico, California. The group was dropped off before the checkpoint with the intention of being picked up by an unidentified vehicle after they made it around the checkpoint. The illegal aliens, six males and one female, were all citizens of Mexico and ranged in age from 23 to 41 years old. The aliens were expelled from the United States under Title 42 authority.
On Friday afternoon, agents assigned to Dome Valley conducted a vehicle stop on a Toyota Sienna on Interstate 8 near Wellton. The driver was a 19-year-old male United States citizen and the front seat passenger was a 40-year-old female United States citizen. Agents determined that the remaining five passengers were citizens of Mexico that were illegally present in the United States. The illegal aliens, four females and one male, ranged in age from 18 to 49 years old. Agents expelled all subjects from the United States under Title 42 authority.
of aliens being smuggled
On Saturday, agents assigned to Dome Valley stopped two smuggling attempts. At 3:40 p.m., agents conducted a vehicle stop on a Toyota Camry and determined that a male United States citizen was smuggling a Mexican citizen. A short time later, agents conducted a vehicle stop on a Ford Fusion after observing the vehicle circumvent the checkpoint by driving through Dome Valley. The female driver, an 18-year-old United States citizen, was attempting to smuggle four male illegal aliens from Mexico, ranging in age from 19 to 37 years old. The illegal aliens in both smuggling attempts were expelled under Title 42 authority and the vehicles were seized.
On Sunday, agents stopped two smuggling events. At approximately 5:40 a.m., agents encountered a Chrysler van attempting to pass through the Highway 78 checkpoint. The driver, an illegal alien that claimed to have been living in the United States since 2005, and the passenger, an illegal alien that illegally crossed into the United States the previous day, were traveling to Tulsa, Oklahoma for work. At approximately 5:00 p.m., agents assigned to Dome Valley conducted a vehicle stop on a Toyota Corolla and agents determined the vehicle’s five passengers were illegally present in the United States. Four of the passengers were citizens of Mexico and the other passenger was a citizen of Honduras. The female driver was a 24-year-old United States citizen. The illegal aliens were expelled under Title 42 authority and the vehicles were seized.
Under U.S. law, human smuggling is "the facilitation, transportation, attempted transportation or illegal entry of a person or persons across an international border, in violation of one or more countries' laws, either clandestinely or through deception, such as the use of fraudulent documents." In these cases, the illegal aliens had already crossed the international boundary and were being transported in furtherance.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials welcome assistance from the community. Individuals can report suspicious activity to the Border Patrol and remain anonymous by calling 1-877-872-7435 toll free. Reporting illicit activity could result in saving someone’s life.