South Texas Police Encounter Pakistanis in Alleged Smuggling Stop near Border
On Tuesday, Zavala County Sheriff’s deputies and Border Patrol arrested two U.S. citizens for suspicion of human trafficking near La Pryor, Texas. Six passengers were determined to be migrants illegally present in the country. Two of those were Pakistani nationals.
The arrest of human smugglers on border highways is becoming common due to the surge in migrant crossings. Encountering Pakistani nationals in these types of stops are uncommon at the moment, however.
Most illegal border crossings involve citizens of Mexico and Central America. A source working for Customs and Border Protection says they are detaining several migrants from Department of Homeland Security-designated “special interest” countries. The source says CBP is holding alien nationals of Turkey (18), Pakistan (4), and Syria (1).
According to the Department of Homeland Security:
[G]enerally, a Special Interest Alien is a non-U.S. person who, based on an analysis of travel patterns, potentially poses a national security risk to the United States or its interests. Often such individuals or groups are employing travel patterns known or evaluated to possibly have a nexus to terrorism. DHS analysis includes an examination of travel patterns, points of origin, and/or travel segments that are tied to current assessments of national and international threat environments.
This case remains under investigation.
Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol. Prior to his retirement, he served as the Division Chief for Law Enforcement Operations, directing operations for nine Border Patrol Stations within the Del Rio, Texas, Sector. Follow him on Twitter @RandyClarkBBTX.
TX Sheriff: We’ve Never Seen Border Like This and It’s ‘Only Going to Get Worse’ and More ‘Are Going to Die’
On Friday’s broadcast of the Fox News Channel’s “Faulkner Focus,” Val Verde County, TX Sheriff Joe Frank Martinez (D) stated that the situation at the border is “something that has not taken place in this part of our county ever.” And that without implementing a solution, the situation will get worse and “more people are going to die.”
Martinez said, “Well, this is something that has not taken place in this part of our county ever. This is the first time we’ve experienced something like this. So, it’s overburdened our federal partners, U.S. Border Patrol, who are doing everything they can to handle the situation. But we see these immigrants that are coming across fleeing their home country looking for a better way of life, you’ve got to feel for these individuals. But at the same time, there has to be a system in place that allows them a legal process. But it’s heartbreaking to watch some of these family units dragging their small children across a river risking their life.”
He added, “I wish that a decision be made one way or the other as to [how] to stop this. Because more people are going to die. Our state partners are involved in car chases every day. People are — there [are] accidents, they’re going through fences and stuff. People are going to die trying to come here. So, we need to put a stop to this nonsense until we come up with a solution. Because it’s only going to get worse. People are going to continue to come.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
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