A slow-rolling smuggling chase on Interstate 10 spilled into downtown El Paso on Tuesday, where U.S. Border Patrol agents and Texas Department of Public Safety troopers brought a black van to a halt and detained four people later identified as migrants from Guatemala. The occupants scattered on foot near a busy central intersection as officers moved in, while videos of the stop quickly hit social media, showing agents and troopers surrounding the vehicle and locking down the area.
In a statement to CBS4, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said agents disrupted the suspected smuggling run around 11 a.m. after spotting a black van carrying multiple migrants on I-10 and following it into downtown. The pursuit ended at the intersection of N. Mesa Street and E. Mills Avenue, where several occupants bolted and agents, with help from DPS troopers, took four people into custody.
CBP officials told CBS4 that the four migrants “will face prosecution under Title 8 authority before removal.” The station also noted videos from local account FitFam that captured parts of the pursuit and the response downtown.
How the El Paso Sector Is Responding
CBP says the El Paso Sector regularly teams up with state and local partners to spot and shut down smuggling activity and stresses the risks these operations pose both to migrants and to the public. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection release on earlier interceptions in the area notes agents have broken up multiple smuggling attempts and urges residents to report suspicious activity to the Border Patrol tipline at 1-800-635-2509. U.S. Customs and Border Protection says these joint efforts are meant to keep routes into the city under tighter watch.
Local Cooperation And Online Misinformation
State troopers from the Texas Department of Public Safety joined Tuesday’s response, reflecting the routine pairing of DPS and Border Patrol in interior enforcement and anti-smuggling work. El Paso Sector officials have warned that smugglers are using social media to spread false information and lure migrants into risky trips, a concern local officials say adds urgency to both enforcement and public outreach…