El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents apprehended 26 undocumented individuals aboard a freight train near the Highway 111 checkpoint on January 4.
At approximately 4:45 a.m., a train conductor notified agents working at the checkpoint that he observed a group of individuals attempting to circumvent the checkpoint aboard his train traveling northbound through Bombay Beach, CA, five miles north of the checkpoint.
Agents responded to the area and encountered 10 individuals who did not possess the proper documents to be legally present in the United States. Members of the group stated that there was also an additional group aboard the train. The conductor was notified of the other group and the train was stopped by the Indio train yard, near Dillon Road and Avenue 48. Responding agents encountered an additional 16 undocumented individuals.
Welfare checks were conducted on all 26 individuals and no medical assistance was required. Agents transported all the individuals to the El Centro Sector’s Centralized Processing Center to be further medically evaluated and processed accordingly.
Laredo Sector Border Patrol agents also continue to encounter undocumented individuals using railcars as they travel further into the United States.
On the evening of January 6, agents assigned to the Hebbronville Station conducting train checks near Hebbronville, Texas discovered eight undocumented individuals inside a car-hauler. All the individuals were from the countries of Mexico, Guatemala, and El Salvador and were processed accordingly. Border Patrol Emergency Medical Technicians provided immediate medical assistance to one individual suffering from seizures. The individual was transported by air to the nearest hospital in Corpus Christi, Texas.
This dangerous method of traveling through the United States after illegal entry is strongly discouraged as it often results in serious injury or death. Many times, migrants choose this grueling method of transportation without realizing the consequences of their actions until it is too late.
This story was updated on Jan. 10 to include the Hebbronville incident.
