U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Archived Content

  • In an effort to keep CBP.gov current, the archive contains content from a previous administration or is otherwise outdated.
  1. Home
  2. Newsroom
  3. Local Media Release
  4. Border Patrol Discovers Illegal Immigrants Hidden in Tractor-Trailer

Border Patrol Discovers Illegal Immigrants Hidden in Tractor-Trailer

Release Date

SALTON CITY, Calif. – El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents assigned to the Highway 86 checkpoint seized a tractor-trailer with illegal immigrants hidden inside on Wednesday.

The incident occurred at approximately 8:45 p.m., after a 44-year-old man approached the checkpoint in a red truck with a white tractor-trailer.

A Border Patrol agent noticed that the driver was unusually nervous and referred the man to the secondary area for a closer examination.

At secondary, Border Patrol agents heard unusual noises coming from the tractor-trailer. After a search, agents discovered 19 illegal immigrants hidden in the back of the trailer with no way to open the door from the inside.

“This could have been a very dangerous situation if it weren’t for the air conditioner being turned on,” said Acting Assistant Chief Patrol Agent Miguel Garcia. “The illegal immigrants had no possibilities of exiting the tractor-trailer without an outside source.”

Within the 19 illegal immigrants there was one Guatemalan citizen, who will be processed and removed to his country of origin.

The driver, a Mexican citizen, along with the other 18 Mexican Citizens which will be processed and removed.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Tags: 
Border Security
, 
U.S. Border Patrol
, 
Archive Media Releases
  • Last Modified: February 3, 2021