Latest news with #BorderPatrol
CBS News
20 hours ago
- General
- CBS News
Convicted Honduran national arrested by federal immigration agents in Maryland
A Honduran national who was convicted of a crime in Maryland was taken into custody by U.S. immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on May 22. Alex Yonatan Flores-Arce, 20, entered the U.S. illegally, according to ICE. U.S. Border Patrol encountered him near El Paso, Texas, in March 2019, where he was served with a notice to appear. Howard County fails to honor ICE detainer In announcing Flores-Arce's arrest, ICE also accused Howard County of ignoring a request to keep him detained. Immigration officials said Flores-Arce was released back into the community twice. Flores-Arce was arrested in October 2024 and charged with rape in Howard County. He was found guilty in April and sentenced to 15 years in prison and five years of probation. ICE said they submitted an immigration detainer for Flores-Arce on January 13 to the Howard County Department of Corrections. An immigration detainer is a request that ICE submits to state or local law enforcement, asking them to hold a person for up to 48 hours and send a notification before releasing a suspect. It allows federal immigration officials time to take a person into custody. According to ICE, the department did not honor the detainer and instead released Flores-Arce from custody on May 5. On May 8, Flores-Arce was arrested for violating his probation. He was arrested by ICE as he left the detention center, officials said. "The decision by Howard County Detention Center to ignore our immigration detainer and release a removable individual with an egregious criminal history undermines public safety and put Maryland communities at risk," ICE Baltimore acting Field Office Director Nikita Baker said. Flores-Arce has a final administrative removal order and remains in ICE's custody. Howard County designated as sanctuary jurisdiction Howard County was among eight Maryland counties that the Trump administration recently designated as sanctuary jurisdictions. The designation came after an executive order from the President on April 28 required the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to share a list of states, cities and counties that "obstruct the enforcement of Federal immigration laws." According to the administration, sanctuary jurisdictions are locations that "deliberately and shamefully" ignore federal immigration laws. "Sanctuary cities protect dangerous criminal aliens from facing consequences and put law enforcement in peril," DHS said. According to ICE Baltimore officials, Flores-Arce's arrest was not the first time that Howard County failed to honor an immigration detainer. "This failure is not an isolated incident, but part of a concerning pattern we see all too often," Baker said in a statement. "...Working together with local jurisdictions is the only way to keep our neighborhoods safe and uphold the rule of law."
Fox News
21 hours ago
- General
- Fox News
CBP ends use of temporary migrant processing sites as apprehensions plummet
U.S. Customs and Border Protection confirmed to Fox News Digital that it is no longer operating any "soft-sided" facilities, following the closure of a migrant processing center near San Diego in March. The Biden administration used the facilities to process migrants who entered the country illegally at multiple sites in California, Texas, and Arizona, amid a surge of millions crossing the border. "Due to the unprecedented drop in apprehensions of illegal aliens as a result of the President's recent executive actions, CBP is not operating any temporary, soft-sided processing facilities where illegal aliens have been held in specific locations along the southwest border. CBP no longer has a need for them as illegal aliens are being quickly removed," a CBP spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital on Thursday. "The U.S. Border Patrol has full capability to manage the detention of apprehended aliens in USBP's permanent facilities. Manpower and other resources dedicated to temporary processing facilities will be redirected toward other priorities and will speed CBP's progress in gaining operational control over the southwest border," the spokesperson said. On March 13, CBP said that they were closing three Texas and two Arizona facilities, but one California and one Texas location were still open. In March, Fox News Digital reported that CBP had shuttered the Otay Mesa facility that was launched in January 2023 as the border crisis raged on. U.S. Border Patrol's San Diego Sector posted a video to X on Sunday showing that the sector's soft-sided facility has been decommissioned. "The world has heard President Trump and Secretary Noem's message. America's borders are CLOSED to lawbreakers," Homeland Security posted in response to the clip. According to CBP, the facilities cost taxpayers between $5 million and $30 million per month. Since President Donald Trump took office, southern border crossings marked by CBP have gone down. In April, there were just over 8,300 "apprehensions," which is a 93% drop from the year before, the agency said. "For the first time in years, more agents are back in the field—patrolling territories that CBP didn't have the bandwidth or manpower to oversee just six months ago," Pete Flores, Acting Commissioner of CBP, said in a statement on May 12. "But thanks to this administration's dramatic shift in security posture at our border, we are now seeing operational control becoming a reality—and it's only just beginning."
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Texas Takedown Weekly: Border's Biggest Busts
One bust involved a man accused of smuggling five illegal aliens; another netted a bus passenger wanted for rape. Here are this week's three biggest criminal apprehensions at the Texas border: 1. Yukon or Tahoe? Border Patrol Busts Alleged Smuggler With 5 Aliens A Border Patrol chief announced the arrest and prosecution of an alleged human smuggler last week — but the details seemed to shift depending on where you looked. Chief Patrol Agent Gloria I. Chavez of the Rio Grande Valley sector posted on X on May 21 that agents had intercepted a white Tahoe allegedly used in an alien smuggling operation near Weslaco. 'Great Teamwork!' she wrote, alongside a photo showing one detained driver and five apparent illegal aliens. A separate post by the same Border Patrol sector — this time on Facebook — described the vehicle as a white Yukon. The types of vehicles described are very similar. However, the photo depicts a GMC, and only GMC makes the Yukon. Both posts claimed the driver was prosecuted under 8 U.S. Code § 1324, a statute commonly used in human smuggling cases. The names of those involved have not been released, and neither post included a specific date of arrest or location beyond the general sector. According to federal law, § 1324 violations can carry up to 10 years per count, with heightened penalties if the smuggling was done for profit or in a manner that endangered human life. The incident appears to be one of several recent smuggling cases in the Rio Grande Valley, a region that federal officials routinely cite as a major corridor for illegal entry and trafficking. 2. Minnesota Rape Suspect Nabbed at Border A man wanted for rape in Minnesota was arrested over Memorial Day weekend while attempting to enter the United States through a Texas port of entry, according to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection press release. CBP officials say 50-year-old Nestor Martinez Carrillo was traveling by bus when he arrived at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge near Laredo on May 24. Officers reportedly flagged Carrillo for secondary inspection, then used biometric tools and law enforcement databases to confirm his identity. Officials say Carrillo had an outstanding felony arrest warrant issued by the Stearns County Sheriff's Office in Minnesota. The warrant, originally filed in August 2020, stemmed from a third-degree criminal sexual conduct case involving a failure to appear in court. He was transported to the Webb County Jail and booked the same day, The Dallas Express reported. Jail records show Carrillo now faces a charge of 'sexual assault.' Like all criminal charges, the allegations remain unproven until tried in court. CBP officials cited the National Crime Information Center — a federal database for active warrants — as the tool that allowed officers to confirm Carrillo's fugitive status. The arrest was one of several over Memorial Day weekend. According to CBP, another individual wanted in Dallas County for allegedly soliciting minors online was apprehended on May 26, while yet another man accused of rape in Illinois was caught on May 21. A twice-deported sex offender, convicted of assaulting a 14-year-old, was reportedly picked up that same day. 'These types of apprehension perfectly exemplify CBP's ongoing commitment to keeping our communities secure,' said Port Director Tater Ortiz in the agency's press release. 3. Jesus Cedillo Turned A $6K Job Into A 10-Year Sentence for Moving Cocaine A man who admitted to transporting nearly 30 kilograms of cocaine through a Texas Border Patrol checkpoint was sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas announced May 28. Federal prosecutors say Jesus Cedillo, 36, was stopped on October 28, 2024, near the Falfurrias checkpoint. A Border Patrol K-9 reportedly alerted to Cedillo's vehicle, prompting agents to search the car. Inside the speaker boxes in the trunk, they allegedly discovered multiple bundles of cocaine totaling 28.6 kilograms. Cedillo pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute and was sentenced to 126 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He admitted that a former co-worker had recruited him to make the delivery to Houston for $6,000. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Bird prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Border Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Although the source and destination of the drugs remain undisclosed, the bust adds to a growing pattern of drug couriers using everyday vehicles to ferry large narcotics loads through inland checkpoints, sometimes for relatively small compensation. To read about last week's biggest border busts, click here: Texas Takedown Weekly: Border's Biggest Busts (May 23)
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Remains found at Torrey Pines State Beach identified as 10-year-old girl
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office said remains that were found on Torrey Pines State Beach last week belonged to a 10-year-old girl who was one of those on board a panga that capsized in Del Mar earlier this month. The remains were found by a passerby on May 21 who immediately contacted law enforcement. On Thursday, the Medical Examiner's office confirmed the remains belonged to a 10-year-old girl named Mahi Brijeshkumar Patel. PREVIOUS: 5 arrested after deadly smuggling incident off San Diego coast; girl remains missing Patel was one of the passengers of a panga that had capsized on May 5 at Del Mar Beach, according to the medical examiner's office. The office added that Patel was missing and could not be located when law enforcement and other emergency personnel arrived. The vessel was found near the 12000 block of North Torrey Pines Road and triggered a multi-agency response from the San Diego Police Department, Del Mar lifeguards, Border Patrol agents, the United States Coast Guard and other local authorities. According to local officials, as many as 18 people were believed to have been on the boat at the time, including alleged smugglers. Jorge Sanchez, deputy fire chief with the Encinitas Fire Department, confirmed that at least three people were killed in the incident. Three bodies were recovered, including a 14-year-old boy from India identified in court records as P.P.B. Eight of the nine migrants who had been missing from the boat were accounted for, with the exception of P.P.B's 10-year-old sister, authorities previously stated. On Wednesday, May 21, a passerby at Torrey Pines State Beach came across human remains which were later turned over to authorities. The medical examiner stated Patel's parents have been notified of DNA testing that confirmed her identity. The cause and manner of her death are still pending investigation. Five Mexican nationals were detained in relation to the alleged smuggling scheme after Border Patrol agents stopped vehicles that were seen leaving the area where the boat capsized. Julio Cesar Zuniga-Luna, 30, and Jesus Juan Rodriguez-Leyva, 36, were charged with bringing in aliens resulting in death and bringing in aliens for financial gain. Meanwhile, Melissa Jenelle Cota, 33, Gustavo Lara, 32, and Sergio Rojas-Fregosa, 31, were charged with transportation of illegal aliens. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
PIT maneuvers and laser-sight firearms: Inside Border Patrol training
DEL RIO, Texas (NewsNation) — As the Pentagon deploys more than 1,000 additional active-duty troops to the U.S.-Mexico border, bringing the total number of service members there to nearly 10,000, NewsNation received an inside look at a Border Patrol training facility in New Mexico. Offensive driving techniques and pursuit policy methods have changed since the Biden administration, with Border Patrol agents once again being trained in PIT (precision immobilization technique) maneuvers. The practice was scrapped during the previous administration after multiple fatal crashes in 2023. Border officials tell NewsNation more than 2,000 trainees were not certified on offensive driving techniques from May 2023 to January 2025. The agency is also the first federal entity to issue micro red-dot sights, or laser-sighted firearms, to all new agents. 'I believe when it comes to training the new agent, it's our responsibility to bring them the highest level of training and send them to the field as prepared as possible,' said Deputy Chief Patrol Agent Eddie Cantu. 'There's very little room for error, if you know what I'm saying.' 'We get put in different scenarios where you have less than a second to make a decision,' Cantu continued. 'And unfortunately, you know, we can't get it wrong.' The border agency stated that agents who graduate from the academy undergo at least 164 hours of firearms training, including threat assessment and precision training. The agency also told NewsNation that it's seeing the highest level of training applicants in 15 years. The academy is expected to have more than 1,200 trainees go through the program by the end of the 2025 fiscal year. One of those trainees is a Green Beret who served for 11 years in the Army. 'I've been incredibly impressed with the training up to this point,' Jared Irrobali, a trainee, said. Specifically speaking, I'd say it's the real-life scenario where we have role players providing feedback, both in English and Spanish, whether it's in a tactical setting or a driving setting.' 'I think that live, reactionary instance provides a lot of feedback for younger kids who have less experience,' Irrobali added. 'And even with my experience, I find it to be extremely helpful.' The Trump administration will need to fill approximately 8,000 to 10,000 agent positions that were created under former President George W. Bush following the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks and are now up for retirement. The reconciliation bill being negotiated in Washington also calls for an expansion of the force by 3,000. With agency morale on the rise during the second Trump administration, Cantu said he's confident they will get the numbers they need.
