During a three-week Border Patrol operation, special agents apprehended 204 suspects west of Yuma in the Imperial Sand Dunes. It took place between February and March. 175 of them were foreign nationals who illegally entered the United States and 29 of them were American citizens who were arrested for coordinating the smuggling. Several of the people tried running away from law enforcement through the irrigation canals, vehicles, or on foot. Nineteen vehicles were involved in the incident and seized by law enforcement.

Yuma Sector's Special Operations Detachment and Intelligence Unit as well as the El Centro Sector's Intelligence Unit participated in Operation Sandman. That included certified special operations agents from the Border Patrol Tactical Unit, Border Patrol Search & Trauma Rescue Unit, and the Special Operations Group. In order to be a certified agent, they must go through an intense training regimen. The local intelligence units are responsible for analyzing and providing intelligence support through specialized units that counteract transnational crime and terrorism.

If you are a citizen and see suspicious activity, you can report it to Border Patrol by calling 1-866-999-8727 toll-free.</s>A special Border Patrol operation in the Imperial Sand Dunes area led to the apprehension of 204 subjects.

Agents from the Border Patrol's Yuma Sector's Special Operations Detachment and the El Centro Sector's Intelligence Unit apprehended 175 foreign nationals who illegally entered the United States near the Imperial San Dunes Recreation Area. Twenty-nine additional subjects , many U.S. citizens , were arrested for coordinating and facilitating human smuggling attempts. Nineteen vehicles were seized as well. The apprehensions were made during " Operation Sandman " during a three-week period between February and March.

The Yuma Sector Special Operations Detachment is made up of certified special operations agents from the Special Operations Group; the Border Patrol Search Trauma and Rescue ( BORSTAR ) Unit ; and the Border Patrol Tactical Unit.</s>El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents arrested a man Tuesday afternoon in connection with a murder in Solano County, California.

The apprehension occurred at approximately 3:35 p.m., when an agent patrolling the United States/Mexico International Border arrested a group of individuals suspected of illegally entering the United States. The individuals were transported to the Calexico Border Patrol Station for processing where it was discovered one of the individuals a 29 year Mexican Citizen, Heriberto Ignacio Perez- Peña, had an active warrant for homicide out of Solano County.

Heriberto Ignacio Perez-Peña had been previously removed from the United States prior to the discovery of the homicide warrant for criminal convictions such as assault, possession for sale and a DUI. The Solano County Sheriff’s Department was notified and will extradite the man on the outstanding warrant.

“This dangerous fugitive was stopped by Border Patrol agents before he could blend back into the interior of the country,” said Assistant Chief Patrol Agent David S. Kim. “He will now be turned over to proper authorities to answer for the crimes he is accused of.”</s>MADISON — The Wisconsin State Patrol says it saw more drugged drivers on the roads and had a significant increase in drug arrests from 2016 to 2017.

Wisconsin Public Radio reports that the State Patrol saw a 20 percent increase in drug arrests during that time period, with fewer than 2,900 arrests in 2016 to more than 3,400 last year. A drug arrest involves the possession of illegal narcotics or paraphernalia.

The State Patrol also saw an increase in people driving while under the influence of a controlled substance. There were more than 310 drugged driving arrests in 2016, compared to almost 390 last year.

State Patrol Lt. Chris Joshka says the increase is partly due to better trained officers and marijuana legalization in other states.</s>Share this article with Google Plus

A Mexican woman who was filmed being dragged away from her three daughters by US Border Patrol agents has been released.

Video showed the officers pulling Perla Morales Luna, 36, away from her family who were in tears near their home in National City, California, on March 3.

The clip, which was filmed by one of her daughters, caused outrage when it was released online.

Morales Luna’s oldest daughter Yessica Estrada, 17, spoke about the video after her mum was released by a judge on her own recognizance on Tuesday, while her case is being prepared.

‘I think that made a big difference,’ she said.

‘It made it so people were able to see what went on.’

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Yessica, who cried when her mum was released, admitted she and her sisters felt angry and confused after seeing Border Patrol agents take their mother away.

She added: ‘I just want to hug her, kiss her and tell her I love her.’

The US government accused Morales Luna of being involved in human trafficking by recruiting drivers to take people who crossed the border illegally to a safe house in National City, near San Diego.

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She denied the allegations and has so far only been charged with being in the country illegally.

The US Border Patrol’s San Diego Sector also defended its actions in the video, claiming Morales Luna refused to comply with agents and physically resisted.

It added: ‘The video clearly shows the arresting agents carried out their duties appropriately, even when faced with a barrage of insults and confrontational agitators.’

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MORE: Eight EU leaders call on UK to hold another Brexit referendum</s>On Wednesday morning and afternoon the ACLU of Spokane was handing out pamphlets that said: “Know Your Rights” to passengers boarding Greyhound buses at the bus station in downtown Spokane.

After border patrol officers have been seen across the country boarding domestic buses and trains to question riders about their immigration status "This is in response to increased customs and border protection and border patrol enforcement at this station," said ACLU volunteer Nicole Herrera.

The ACLU says this is all too reminiscent of police states. But what border patrol is doing is not illegal. Part of border patrol's job is to work transportation hubs within 100 miles of the border. Two key court decisions give border patrol the authority to operate checkpoints and to question occupants of vehicles about their citizenship, request document proof of immigration status, and make quick observations of what is in plain view in the interior of the vehicle.

 

But the ACLU says geography does not "negate the Fourth Amendment." The fourth amendment states "the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures."

According to border patrol, there were 34 arrests made in 2017 in Spokane. U.S. Border Patrol operations officer Bill Kingsford with the Spokane Sector said that they have been doing these checks for several years.

But the ACLU's target is Greyhound bus lines, and they are urging the company to stop giving border patrol permission to conduct these immigration checks.

Below is a statement from Greyhound Bus Lines and U.S. Border Patrol:

"We can confirm that we’ve received the letter signed by several ACLU affiliates. We understand their concerns and those of our customers with regard to this matter. However, Greyhound is required to comply with the law. We are aware that routine transportation checks not only affect our operations, but our customers’ travel experience, and will continue to do everything legally possible to minimize any negative experiences. Greyhound has opened a dialogue with the Border Patrol to see if there is anything that can be done to balance the enforcement of federal law with the dignity and privacy of our valued customers."

“For decades, the U.S. Border Patrol has been performing enforcement actions away from the immediate border in direct support of border enforcement efforts and as a means of preventing trafficking, smuggling and other criminal organizations from exploiting our public and private transportation infrastructure to travel to the interior of the United States. These operations serve as a vital component of the U.S. Border Patrol’s national security efforts.

Although most Border Patrol work is conducted in the immediate border area, agents have broad law enforcement authorities and are not limited to a specific geography within the United States. They have the authority to question individuals, make arrests, and take and consider evidence. The Immigration and Nationality Act 287(a)(3) and 8 USC 1357 state that Immigration Officers, without a warrant, may "within a reasonable distance from any external boundary of the United States...board and search for aliens in any vessel within the territorial waters of the United States and any railcar, aircraft, conveyance, or vehicle”. 8 CFR 287 (a)(1) defines reasonable distance as 100 air miles from the border.”
During a three-week US Border Patrol Operation Sandman near Yuma, Arizona, there are 204 arrests for human smuggling.