Armed Illegal Immigrants Apprehended at the Border

EDINBURG, Texas – Rio Grande Valley Sector Border Patrol (RGV) agents made 25 arrests and seized two pistols from five failed human smuggling events within 24-hours Wednesday.

Tuesday morning, a white Ford F-150 and a brown Ford Explorer approached the primary inspection lane at the Falfurrias Border Patrol Checkpoint. The vehicles were referred to secondary inspection after an agent observed nervous behavior and inconsistences with the drivers during the immigration inspection. At secondary inspection, agents questioned the three passengers of the vehicles and determined they were illegally present in the United States. Agents also discovered two semi-automatic pistols inside one of the vehicles. The drivers and passengers were placed under arrest and escorted inside the checkpoint.

Shortly after, a Weslaco Border Patrol Station agent received information regarding a black sedan near the Rio Grande south of Donna. Responding agents observed the suspect vehicle heading north and then make a U-turn, back to the river, where the occupants ran into the brush abandoning the vehicle. Agents apprehended four illegal aliens and observed the driver and two other subjects flee into Mexico.

Tuesday evening, RGV agents attempted to conduct a vehicle stop on a grey GMC Acadia north of Edinburg. The vehicle failed to yield and led agents on a vehicle pursuit. The driver came to a stop near San Manuel, where he and five illegal aliens were arrested without further incident.

Shortly after, agents conducted a vehicle stop on a blue Chevrolet Impala traveling north on U.S. Highway 281, north of Edinburg.  As the vehicle came to a stop on the shoulder, numerous subjects ran from the vehicle and west across the highway causing two civilian vehicles to crash in their attempts to avoid hitting the subjects.  Emergency medical services were requested and provided medical care for the drivers. Agents apprehended five illegals after searching the area, but the driver was not located.

Just before sunrise, near La Rosita, RGV agents observed a vehicle traveling north from the Rio Grande with its lights off.  Responding agents located the vehicle after briefly losing visual contact and apprehended five illegal immigrants running from the vehicle toward the river.  The driver and two subjects were observed swimming back to Mexico.

All subjects are being processed accordingly.