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Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US northern border agents capture Chinese alien, surge of illegal immigrants as arrests soar in one state
After President Donald Trump cracked down on illegal immigrant crossings at the U.S. southern border with Mexico, Border Patrol agents in the North are facing a flurry of attempted crossings. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in Houlton, Maine said on May 2 that in the previous 10 days, it had conducted targeted enforcement operations that netted 39 illegal immigrant captures, according to a news release. Foreign nationals from Guatemala, El Salvador, Mexico, Venezuela, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Jamaica, Dominican Republic and China were arrested during the recent operations. According to the immigration officials, the agency has already captured more illegal immigrants in Maine this year than it did in all of 2024. Northern Border: Agents Arrest Group Of Chinese Trying To Sneak Into Maine From Canada "The United States Border Patrol will continue ongoing operations to target criminal aliens for arrest, prosecution, and removal proceedings as appropriate." Houlton Sector Acting Chief Patrol Agent Craig Shepley said in a statement. "All of these efforts are for the safety and security for the State of Maine and the U.S. as a whole." Read On The Fox News App Us Northern Border Sees Romanian Illegal Immigrant Influx As Expert Predicts What Could Be Driving Them Some of the arrestees have prior criminal records, including crimes like assault and battery on a family member, criminal possession of a weapon and theft, officials said. One of the illegal immigrants was charged with illegal re-entry into the United States, a felony that carries up to two years in prison and possible enhancements if the suspect was previously removed after criminal convictions, according to the Department of Justice. CBP warned of consequences for other illegal immigrants who might be considering crossing from the north. "The security and integrity of our nation's borders is the primary objective of the United States Border Patrol, and the agency will utilize all means at its disposal to achieve this end," the release said. "If you are found to be in the United States illegally or are operating within the framework of an illegal smuggling operation, you will be caught, and consequences will be delivered." Fox News Digital reached out to CBP article source: US northern border agents capture Chinese alien, surge of illegal immigrants as arrests soar in one state
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US Border Patrol arrests 39 people over 10-day operation in Maine
May 5—U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents arrested 39 people in Maine during a 10-day targeted operation that concluded last week. According to the federal agency, all of those arrested were undocumented immigrants, most from Central American countries. So far this year, border officials have arrested more people in Maine than in all of 2024, reflecting the Trump administration's hardline stance on detaining and deporting individuals who are in the United States illegally. "The United States Border Patrol will continue ongoing operations to target criminal aliens for arrest, prosecution, and removal proceedings as appropriate," Houlton Sector Acting Chief Patrol Agent Craig Shepley said in a written statement. "All of these efforts are for the safety and security for the State of Maine and the U.S. as a whole." The operations last week relied on what officials called "detailed intelligence" and were conducted in several smaller Maine towns, including Oquossoc, Mechanic Falls, Madawaska, Dresden, Palmyra, Rangeley and Madison. Arrests also were made in Augusta and Houlton. Those arrested face immigration charges and possible deportation. Some have criminal histories, including assault and theft, according to information provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The recent sweep is the largest in Maine since Trump returned to office, but there has been increased activity for months. In March, more than a dozen migrant workers were detained by border patrol agents in Franklin County. There also has been an increase in Border Patrol encounters, which refers to any instance where agents interact with individuals who are suspected of attempting to enter the United States without proper authorization. In February and March of this year (the most recent data available), there have been 124 encounters by Maine agents, nearly twice as many as February and March of 2024. Border officials are permitted by law to conduct citizenship checks without a warrant within 100 miles of the country's border, which includes all of Maine. As immigration enforcement has emerged as a top priority for the Trump administration, many advocates say immigrants — even those with valid green cards or visas — are wary of being plucked off the street and pulled into an unmarked Border Patrol or U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement vehicle. With each new arrest, more and more families are choosing to stay home from work or school, hidden away from law enforcement and distrusted neighbors. This story will be updated Copy the Story Link We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others. We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion. You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs. Show less
