Illicit Activity in the RGV
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
EDINBURG (News Release) – In recent days, Rio Grande Valley Sector (RGV) Border Patrol agents encountered 547 migrants in three large groups and interdicted four migrant smuggling events in collaboration with local law enforcement agency efforts.
Over the last three days, RGV agents encountered three large groups totaling 547 migrants near Roma, Rio Grande City, and Mission. The groups were comprised of 308 family members, 153 unaccompanied children, and 86 single adults. The migrants were from various North, Central, and South American countries.
On June 7, McAllen Border Patrol Station (MCS) agents responded to a request for assistance from Sullivan City Police Department with a vehicle pursuit. Agents arrested four migrants from El Salvador and Guatemala near where the vehicle’s occupants bailed out. Later that day, MCS agents arrested three migrants from a vehicle stop conducted by La Joya Police Department (LJPD). LJPD took custody of the U.S. citizen driver to face state migrant smuggling charges.
On June 8, MCS agents assisted LJPD with another vehicle pursuit/bailout and encountered six migrants unlawfully present in the U.S. LJPD took custody of two migrants from Mexico, the driver and a suspected foot guide to face state migrant smuggling charges.
Later that morning, RGV agents received information of migrants being harbored on a property in Penitas. Agents along with Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Palmview PD officers responded to the location and arrested 11 migrants, including one unaccompanied minor from Mexico.
