California Guardsman Busted for Alleged Smuggling Op at Border
At a time when President Donald Trump has ordered an unprecedented military force to America’s Southern Border to beef up security, officials claim a California National Guard soldier cut his own deals with three illegal immigrants to bring them into the U.S. for a fee.
Edward Jair Acosta-Avila was charged with attempting to smuggle three Mexicans into the U.S., according to court documents, USA Today reported.
A co-defendant charged along with Acosta-Avila said the plan was that the Americans split $400 per Man for getting the three men into the U.S.
The Mexican men, however, said they had “made smuggling arrangements and agreed to pay between $6,000 and $7,000 each” to be smuggled into the U.S.
Acosta-Avila, who was AWOL at the time of his arrest, was a private in the California Army National Guard, according to Air Force Lt. Col. Thomas Keegan. Acosta-Avila was not assigned to duty along the border, Keegan said.
Officials said that the smuggling was detected when a car driven by Acosta-Avila was stopped north of the border. Three men were in the back seat, trying to hide.
At the time, authorities said Acosta-Avila said he was asked to drive near the border to pick up some people.
The Mexicans are being held as witnesses against Acosta-Avila, KSWB reported.
The incident happened along a part of the border that is not the direct target of migrants who are trying to enter the United States illegally.
Trump issued a series of tweets affirming his resolve to hold fast against the migrants seeking entry.
Migrants at the Southern Border will not be allowed into the United States until their claims are individually approved in court. We only will allow those who come into our Country legally. Other than that our very strong policy is Catch and Detain. No “Releasing” into the U.S…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 24, 2018
….All will stay in Mexico. If for any reason it becomes necessary, we will CLOSE our Southern Border. There is no way that the United States will, after decades of abuse, put up with this costly and dangerous situation anymore!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 24, 2018
Would be very SMART if Mexico would stop the Caravans long before they get to our Southern Border, or if originating countries would not let them form (it is a way they get certain people out of their country and dump in U.S. No longer). Dems created this problem. No crossings!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 25, 2018
On Sunday, Britain’s Sky News reported that migrants who have been kept from crossing into the U.S. and forced to stay in Tijuana, Mexico, tried to storm the crossing between Mexico and the U.S.
As a result the San Ysidro port of entry was closed for the day to prevent a rush that would allow illegal immigrants into the U.S., Fox News reported.
HAPPENING NOW: Hundreds of migrants rush California port of entry, port has been shut down pic.twitter.com/qNxi8nucW7
— Breaking911 (@breaking9111) November 25, 2018
The migrants chanted “We are not criminals! We are international workers!” during their confrontation with Mexican police at the border.
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