23 Migrants Found Stuffed in Van in Arizona near Border

Tucson Sector Border Patrol agents disrupted a human smuggling attempt in southwest Arizona. The agents found a utility van overstuffed with 23 migrants on Monday night.

Agents patrolling near Sasabe, Arizona, stopped a utility van for an immigration inspection. The driver complied with the stop. As agents approached the van, they observed a multitude of people packed inside, according to information obtained from Tucson Sector Border Patrol officials. The traffic stop took place approximately 12 miles north of the Sasabe Port of Entry.

On Monday night, Border Patrol agents found 23 people crammed inside of a van. All of the occupants were illegally present in the U.S., excluding the U.S. citizen driver who now faces federal human smuggling charges.

Read more via @CBPArizona: https://t.co/p02NyI4zlU pic.twitter.com/a9JX6d1ugL

— CBP (@CBP) December 3, 2020

The agents quickly took the driver into custody. They began an immigration interview with the occupants and identified 23 migrants illegally in the United States. Officials reported the migrant wore no PPE to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The human smuggler packed them into the van in such a way that they could not wear seat belts, putting them in danger of serious injury or death in the event of a crash.

The agents arrested the driver on human smuggling charges. An investigation determined he was also illegally present in the U.S.

Officials did not disclose any demographic information for the migrants.

The 23 migrants apprehended will be processed under guidelines established by CBP and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Part of the processing involves a medical screening for COVID-19 and a biometric criminal background investigation.

Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior news contributor for the Breitbart Texas-Border team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s Sunday-morning talk show, What’s Your Point? Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX, Parler @BobPrice, and Facebook.