El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents arrested a United States citizen and 14 illegal individuals found inside of a trailer home Sunday evening.
At approximately 6:10 p.m., El Centro Border Patrol Sector Intelligence Unit (SIU) agents observed a grey Ford Escape demonstrating signs consistent with human smuggling, traveling through the Imperial County Sand Dunes, east of the city of Calexico, Calif, driving into the city of Yuma.
During the agents’ initial observations, they lost visual of the vehicle but were able to re-establish visual of the suspicious vehicle. After reacquiring visuals, agents saw the vehicle stop at a storm drain near the railroad on Redondo Center Drive, where several people got out of the car. 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 a visual of the vehicle which leading them to a trailer home near Avenue C in Yuma where they continued surveillance on 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 absconding on foot. After an immediate 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.
SIU then approached the primary residence, identified themselves, and knocked on the door. During the encounter, agents discovered 14 undocumented individuals inside of the dwelling.
All individuals were arrested and transported to the Calexico Border Patrol Station to be processed accordingly.
The vehicle was seized per El Centro Sector guidelines.
“agents did not pursue the individuals who were seen boarding the train”