In two separate incidents, Border Patrol agents arrested two men present in the United States under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) executive order for their involvement in human smuggling incidents on Jan. 24th and 25th, 2018.
In the first incident, on Thursday at approximately 8 a.m., Border Patrol agents in east San Diego County arrested two illegal aliens and shortly after observed two suspicious vehicles on Buckman Springs Rd. Agents followed one vehicle, a blue Honda sedan, and conducted an immigration inspection at the United States Border Patrol immigration checkpoint.
Agents questioned the driver, a 22-year-old male Mexican national, who admitted that he was performing scouting duties for a smuggling crew. He also admitted that he was coordinating with another driver of a vehicle to relay information related to Border Patrol operations in the area and the status of the Border Patrol checkpoint to aid in illegal smuggling.
Border Patrol agents learned that the man resides in Riverside County as a DACA recipient. Agents also discovered that the man had successfully participated in alien smuggling on multiple occasions. The man, in violation of the terms of his DACA status, is currently being held in Department of Homeland Security custody for removal proceedings.
Agents later arrested another man, a 25-year-old United States citizen, who was associated with this smuggling scheme.