On Sunday evening, El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents arrested a United States citizen and apprehended 14 undocumented migrants discovered inside of a trailer home.
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), at approximately 6:10 p.m., Border Patrol Intelligence Unit (SIU) agents watched a vehicle showing what they say were “signs consistent with human smuggling.”
The vehicle was traveling through the Imperial County Sand Dunes, east of the city of Calexico, California, driving into the city of Yuma.
Agents lost sight of the vehicle temporarily. After catching sight of it again, agents saw the vehicle stop at a storm drain near the railroad on Redondo Center Drive, where several people got out of the car. According to CBP, this industrial rail yard is a known area used by undocumented individuals to board commercial freight trains, to prevent detection in order to travel north into the interior of the U.S.
Due to the train’s speed of travel, agents did not pursue the individuals who were seen boarding the train.
Agents kept an eye on the vehicle which led them to a trailer home near Avenue C in Yuma where they continued to watch the vehicle and trailer home. At approximately 9:30 p.m., agents saw two individuals exit the residence and walk towards the suspected vehicle.
As the agents approached the two individuals, they ran back towards the trailer with the vehicle also fleeing to get away. The vehicle eventually stopped at a dead end with the driver and passenger fled on foot.
After a search of the area, agents were able to only locate the passenger, who was attempting to hide atop a roof and placed him under arrest.
Agents then discovered and arrested 14 undocumented migrants inside the residence. The vehicle was seized.