Customs and Border Protection officers at the Juarez-Lincoln Port of Entry in Laredo, Texas, arrested several migrants attempting to assume the identity of United States citizens. The migrant imposters arrested earlier this month were found to be in possession of valid birth certificates that did not belong to them. In two other incidents in recent days, officers at the Juarez-Lincoln Port of Entry thwarted similar attempts by migrants to use identity documents, either fake or valid, in failed attempts to enter the United States.
The first encounter occurred on Friday as CBP officers inspected bus passengers arriving at the Laredo bridge. A 35-year-old female provided officers with three United States birth certificates for three minor children and an adult female. The officers referred the migrant and the children to a secondary examination area for further investigation.
The officers determined the U.S. birth certificates were authentic, but during the investigation and interview of the migrants, officers determined the migrants were imposters. The woman, a seven-year-old girl, and two boys, ages 11 and five months, were found to be Mexican citizens with no lawful basis to enter the United States.
On the same day, CBP officers at the Laredo bridge inspected passengers arriving at the port in a 2020 Dodge Ram pick-up truck. The officers were presented with a U.S. Employment Authorization Card issued to a female. A 48-year-old male and 48-year-old female were occupants of the vehicle at the time of inspection. Officers verified the authenticity of the Employment Authorization Card but determined the female occupant was an imposter.
Officers determined the female occupant of the vehicle was a Mexican national with no legal basis to enter the United States. The pair were arrested for violations of immigration laws, and the vehicle they were traveling in was seized.
On Saturday, officers examining passengers on an arriving bus referred a passenger to a secondary inspection area for further investigation. The 30-year-old male passenger presented officers with a State of Texas identification card in hopes of entering the United States. According to CBP, the officers quickly determined the identity document was fake.
The passenger was found to be in violation of U.S. Immigration law, the false document was seized, and the man was subsequently arrested.
In 2022, Customs and Border Protection noted an uptick in immigration violations at multiple ports of entry in Texas. In a September 2022 news release, the violations most often seen at Texas ports of entry included “being an impostor (using a legitimate entry document that does not belong to you) using a fraudulent or altered entry document, falsely claiming U.S. citizenship, child smuggling/falsely claiming U.S. citizenship for minors traveling with you/providing U.S. birth certificates belonging to other people. ”
According to CBP, these immigration law violations can be prosecuted federally and may result in arrest, prosecution, and incarceration. Migrants convicted of immigration law violations at the ports of entry may also face removal from the U.S. upon final adjudication of the criminal case.
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.
