U.S. Border Patrol agents and ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents teamed up to dismantle a human smuggling scheme in El Paso, Texas, that ultimately led to the arrest of 35 illegal aliens. The arrests took place after the alleged smugglers crashed their vehicle while trying to evade arrest by the Border Patrol.
The Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem provided details of the arrests on Sunday in a social media post on X (formerly Twitter). According to Noem, DHS Homeland Security Special Agents investigated an illegal alien smuggling case that began when two alleged human smugglers were arrested by the Border Patrol in El Paso. The smuggling suspects and five illegal aliens they were transporting were arrested after a rollover crash occurred when the driver fled from agents to avoid arrest.
HSI special agents obtained information that led to the location of an illegal alien stash house operated by the human smuggling ring. According to Noem, a subsequent enforcement operation at the human smuggling stash house resulted in 28 additional arrests. In total, federal law enforcement authorities detained 35 people linked to the operation.
Two Mexican nationals, who remain unidentified by DHS, are charged with felony alien smuggling under Title 8 USC 1324. According to Noem, eight illegal aliens have been charged with felony unlawful re-entry into the United States after removal under Title 8 USC 1326. They were transferred to the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending prosecution.
In her social media post, Secretary Noem offered the following commentary on the case:
This is law and order in action. Human smugglers take note: do not attempt these reckless schemes. We will find you; we will prosecute you, and you will face the full weight of justice.
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Border Patrol apprehensions of illegal border crossers in the El Paso area have dwindled to a mere 1,099 during July. In contrast, more than 55,000 were arrested in that sector in December of 2023 at the height of the Biden administration’s border crisis.
As reported by Breitbart Texas, unofficial Border Patrol reports show August 2025 apprehensions along the entire southwest border with Mexico fell by 90 percent when compared to August of 2024.
According to a source within CBP, the drop in border crossings and the end of the “Catch and Release” policy at the border have made crossing the border harder for illegal aliens, now that agents are not relegated to processing aliens for release into the United States and can increase routine field patrols.
The source told Breitbart Texas many illegal aliens, who now face certain removal from the United States instead of release, are turning to human smugglers in the hopes of eluding apprehension.
Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol. Before 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 X (formerly Twitter) @RandyClarkBBTX.
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