U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agents have been busy over the last several weeks. Here are some of the latest incidents they’ve responded to on our southern border.
Agents Rescue Woman Impaled after Falling off Border Wall
San Diego Sector Border Patrol agents rescued a woman who fell from the primary wall about one-mile east of the San Ysidro Port of Entry and impaled herself on pieces of rebar on Friday, according to the agency.
Officials said on Nov. 23, at around 8:25 p.m., agents responded to the area and found the woman had fallen from the border wall after she climbed over it to illegally enter the country. The woman landed on rebar that pierced her side and buttocks. Agents rendered aid and requested EMS and the San Diego Fire department for assistance. The woman was also taken to a local hospital and is currently being treated for non-life threatening injuries.
Agents identified the woman as a 26-year-old from Guatemala. She was accompanied by her two children; a three-year-old and a five-year-old. Both children were also taken to a hospital for evaluation of potential fall trauma. They were later released back into Border Patrol custody.
San Diego Sector Chief Patrol Agent Rodney Scott said, “Entering our country illegally, particularly over our walls is not only dangerous, but also very foolish. This woman placed her own life and her children’s lives in peril. She could have easily died if not for the quick response by our agents and EMS.”
This area is an active construction site as 14-miles of wall are being installed to replace the decades-old landing mat wall.
Yuma Sector Agents Assaulted by Claimed Caravan Member
Earlier on Friday Yuma, Arizona Sector Border Patrol agents and a CBP pilot had rocks thrown at them when they tried to arrest a subject who claimed to have been part of the migrant caravans.
Officials said at approximately 5:45 p.m., Yuma Sector Border Patrol agents discovered footprints from a subject who had illegally crossed from Mexico into the United States just east of the Andrade, Calif. port of entry. Agents radioed for a CBP Air and Marine helicopter to assist and it responded a short time later. The agents tracked the suspect for almost a mile until he was encountered near a tree. The male suspect climbed up into the tree, set it on fire and began to throw rocks at agents on the ground as well as at the CBP helicopter. None of the agents nor the helicopter was struck.
The subject eventually came down from the tree and was taken into custody. He was determined to be a 31-year-old Honduran national illegally in the U.S. The subject told arresting agents that he had been part of one of the migrant caravans that had been covered by the media in Mexico recently. He was transported to the Yuma Central Processing Center. The Winterhaven Fire Department responded and extinguished the fire.
During processing, the subject was found to have several previous arrests in Florida as well as a previous deportation from the U.S. on June 4, 2018, according to officials. The subject is being presented for prosecution and removal proceedings.
Three Convicted Felons Arrested by Border Patrol
On Saturday U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Nogales, Arizona and Casa Grande stations apprehended three men, two with violent criminal histories, after they crossed the U.S. border illegally over the weekend.
Agents first encountered and arrested a 50-year-old Mexican national, Agustin Sanchez-Velazquez, after he illegally crossed the border in Nogales Saturday evening. When agents conducted a records check on Sanchez, they learned he had been convicted in Los Angeles County of voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 16 years in prison in 2005.
On Sunday, Casa Grande agents apprehended 42-year-old Humberto Algandar-Acosta of Mexico for being illegally present in the United States. During processing, agents discovered that Algandar had been previously convicted in Arizona in 2009 for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine. He was sentenced to 37 months confinement for his crimes.
Also on Sunday, Nogales agents apprehended another Mexican national, 36-year-old Antonio Carteno-Osorio, for being illegally present in the United States. Carteno, who was convicted in 2002 of a felony in New York for 1st degree sexual abuse of an individual under 11 years of age, served one year in prison and was removed from the United States.
The three men are in federal custody and are being presented for felony criminal immigration charges. All individuals apprehended by the U.S. Border Patrol undergo criminal history checks using biometrics to ensure illegal aliens with criminal histories are positively identified.
U.S. Border Agents Close San Ysidro Port of Entry
On Sunday morning U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials temporarily suspended all northbound and southbound crossings for both pedestrians and vehicles at the San Ysidro port of entry at about 11:30 a.m.
In preparation for multiple planned demonstrations on both sides of the border, CBP had deployed additional personnel to the San Ysidro port of entry on Sunday. As the demonstrations on the Mexican side reached the border area, some members of the demonstration split off to head towards multiple locations along the border. Some attempted to enter the U.S. both directly east and west of the border crossing. These attempts to illegally enter the U.S., and the response to them continue. Some attempted to illegally enter the U.S. through both the northbound and southbound vehicles lanes at the port of entry itself. Those persons were stopped and turned back to Mexico.
To prepare for the possibility that additional groups would also break off from demonstrations for a possible attempt or attempts to rush illegally through the port of entry, CBP suspended operations at the port of entry.
Border Patrol Agents Arrest Convicted Sex Offender
U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Tucson, Arizona Sector apprehended a man with a violent criminal history near Amado, Arizona on Thursday evening after he entered the U.S. illegally, according to officials.
Agents conducted records checks on Enrique Reynoso-Rojas, a 36-year-old Guatemalan national, after arresting him for an immigration violation. Agents learned he was convicted in 2006 in Lee County, Florida, of attempted sexual battery with a child under 12.
Reynoso-Rojas will remain in federal custody pending a court decision on felony criminal immigration charges.
All individuals apprehended by the U.S. Border Patrol undergo criminal history checks using biometrics to ensure illegal aliens with criminal histories are positively identified.