On March 15, Border Patrol agents dealt with three failed smuggling attempts that led to 32 arrests.
A ford F150 refused to engage in an immigration inspection in Encino. This resulted in a pursuit which ended once the driver plowed through a ranch fence.
At the moment of impact, several people were seen exiting the vehicle. However it was not long until Border Patrol’s search of the area resulted in the apprehension of nine migrants from El Salvador, Ecuador, Mexico and Guatemala. No information is currently available on the driver’s location.
An hour later, a Department of Public Safety trooper was involved in a pursuit with a Chrysler 300 near Mission. The McAllen Border Patrol Station agents were requested to assist and, once engaged, were able to determine that five of the occupants were non-citizens from Mexico. The driver however was a United States citizen and he was taken into custody by DPS.
Later that afternoon, a GMC Sierra was observed by agents to be traveling at a very high speed in an area known for smuggling south of Mission.
Although DPS troopers attempted to assist and follow protocol, yet another driver embarked on a vehicle pursuit. Eventually, the driver was stopped north of Mission, where several people were seen trying to escape.
This resulted in the arrest of nine Mexican, two Honduran, five Salvadorian and one Guatemalan. Three of the detained include children between the ages 1 through 9. The driver is yet to be found.
