U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry have detained a man who had previously been deported and convicted of alien smuggling. The apprehension took place on March 17 at the Eagle Pass International Bridge when a CBP officer referred a 48-year-old male Mexican citizen to secondary inspection after he allegedly claimed U.S. citizenship during primary inspection.
During the secondary inspection, it was discovered that the individual did not possess valid entry documents. He had also previously served over four years in prison for an alien smuggling conviction and had multiple prior immigration violations.
Port Director Pete Beattie stated, "Our frontline officers continue to exercise vigilance while screening arriving travelers and their inspections skills and experience uncovered a significant immigration violation for someone who had been previously removed for alien smuggling."
Following the discovery, CBP officers arrested the man and began a criminal investigation into his alleged immigration law violations.
For updates, follow the Director of CBP’s Laredo Field Office on X at @DFOLaredo and U.S. Customs and Border Protection at @CBPSouthTexas.
CBP describes itself as America's largest law enforcement organization and the first unified border management agency in the world, with over 65,000 personnel dedicated to protecting national security through various means including innovation, intelligence, collaboration, and trust.
