In the first two weeks of March, Border Patrol Agents in the El Paso Sector say they apprehended more than 13 migrants who have extensive criminal records and connections to the Mexican Drug Cartels.
Illegal migrants were stopped at border patrol checkpoints in Deming and Las Cruces New Mexico, and in El Paso, Texas attempting to make their way into the interior of the country. Border Patrol agents say the illegal migrants, some who were riding on commercial busses were from Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador. The illegal migrants had convictions for Rapes, Aggravated Assault and some, they confirmed had ties to Drug Cartels.
So far in Fiscal Year 2022 – 395 illegal migrants with criminal convictions and cartel affiliations have been encountered in the El Paso Sector alone.
CBP also released numbers this week about agents and officers being attacked in the field. Over the last 5 months nearly 200 assaults were recorded including physical assaults, assaults with a firearm, knife or rock and assaults with a vehicle.
The Following is detailed information from Border Patrol:
EL PASO, Texas – In the first two weeks of March, U.S. Border Patrol Agents in the El Paso Sector
encountered more than 13 migrants with extensive criminal records and gang affiliations.
On the morning of March 3, Deming Station Border Patrol Agents encountered an individual from El
Salvador, along with two other migrants, as part of a foiled a smuggling attempt, that occurred on NM
State Road 26. The El Salvadorian individual was taken into custody where checks confirmed that the
individual was a member of a known transnational criminal organization.
On March 8, agents assigned to the Las Cruces Border Patrol checkpoint on Interstate-10 performed an immigration inspection on a commercial passenger bus. During the inspection, agents encountered a
citizen of Guatemala, illegally present in the United States, where further investigation revealed that the
individual had a conviction for Criminal Sexual Contact.
On March 11, a citizen of Honduras, illegally present in the United States, was encountered at the Las
Cruces Interstate-25 checkpoint during an immigration inspection of a commercial passenger bus.
Record checks and further questioning by agents revealed that the individual had an extensive criminal
history and confirmed ties to a known Transnational Criminal Organization. The individual’s criminal
convictions included Resisting Arrest to Aggravated Assault.
On March 14, agents assigned to the Ysleta station responded to a call to assist El Paso Police
Department with a vehicle stop. Inside the vehicle, agents encountered a national of El Salvador illegally
present in the United States. Records checks revealed the individual had a conviction for Rape, Sexual
Assault and Forcible Compulsion.
The El Paso Sector continues to see migrants with extensive and significant criminal records attempting
to enter our borders illegally. Backgrounds include assault, human trafficking, domestic violence,
narcotics smuggling, and sexual offences. Since the beginning of the fiscal year 2022, agents have
encountered more than 395 individuals with previous criminal records and gang affiliations.
“These arrests continue to highlight the dangers that Transnational Criminal Organizations pose by
attempting to smuggle criminals into the United States. Dangerous criminals endanger our communities
as they often continue to disregard the rule of law once in the United States,” said El Paso Sector Chief
Patrol Agent Gloria I. Chavez. “The number of significant arrests made in a short span of two weeks
demonstrates the importance of our national security mission and the work El Paso Sector agents do
every day.”
