San Diego - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the ports of entry on the California border with Mexico over the weekend, from 6 a.m. Friday through 6 a.m. today, stopped 294 illegal aliens who attempted to illegally enter the country hidden within vehicles or by presenting fraudulent documents or valid documents not legally issued to them.
An interesting case occurred on Friday, March 5, at about 5:40 a.m. at the San Ysidro border station when a 31-year-old male citizen of Guatemala presented a U.S. birth certificate and a Federal Bureau of Prisons Release Authorization form, bearing his picture, to a CBP officer upon entry to the United States as a pedestrian. The officer developed information that prompted him to escort the man for a more in-depth inspection.
During the secondary inspection officers determined that the man was not the rightful owner of the documents he presented and that he does not possess legal documents to enter the United States. He was arrested and transported to the Metropolitan Correctional Center to await arraignment on false claim to U.S. citizenship.
Also on Friday at 4 a.m. at the Calexico downtown port of entry, a 27-year-old male Mexican citizen presented a temporary Lawful Permanent Resident card to a CBP officer, when he applied to enter the United States. The officer believed the document was counterfeit and escorted the man to the secondary area for further investigation.
During the secondary inspection and fingerprint identification, officers determined the man was not the rightful owner of the document, that he had been previously deported and did not possess the legal right to enter the United States. He was arrested and charged with misuse of visas and other documents.
CBP officers also captured and processed 16 wanted fugitives for such crimes as burglary, battery, assault, and probation violations.