POTRERO, Calif.—A Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang member was arrested by Border Patrol agents on Sunday morning after illegally crossing the border near Potrero, Calif.
At about 8 a.m., agents patrolling the border responded to a report of suspected cross-border activity and encountered three men who were hiding in the brush about one mile north of the international border.
The agents determined that the men were in the country illegally and placed them under arrest. The men were transported to a nearby processing facility, where agents discovered that one of the men, a 32-year-old citizen of El Salvador, was a documented Mara Salvatrucha gang member.
“This arrest serves as a prime example of our agency’s commitment to prevent potentially dangerous people from reaching our communities,” said El Cajon Station Patrol Agent in Charge Mark Moody. “Criminals who enter our country will be prosecuted and ultimately removed.”
The man is currently in federal custody and is facing charges for reentering the U.S. as a previously deported foreign national.
To prevent the illicit smuggling of humans, drugs, and other contraband, the U.S. Border Patrol maintains a high level of vigilance on corridors of egress away from our Nation’s borders. To report suspicious activity to the U.S. Border Patrol, contact San Diego Sector at (619) 498-9900.