Border Patrol stops caravan of 128 illegal immigrants from entering US

Border Patrol agents stopped on Friday a caravan of 128 people after it illegally entered the U.S. from Mexico to Arizona, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Tuesday evening. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)

Border Patrol agents on Friday stopped a caravan of 128 people that illegally entered the U.S. from Mexico into Arizona, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said Tuesday evening.

The large caravan of people was noticed near the Lukeville Port of Entry. Border Patrol officials said the illegal immigrants were “presumably brought to the border by human smugglers” who likely continued to remain in Mexico.

“Transnational criminal organizations exploit the vulnerability of foreign nationals with false promises of legal status and encourage dangerous crossing methods, placing their safety at risk,” the agency said in a statement.

Video

The apprehended migrants were from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico, meaning some of them had to cross as much as 2,500 miles before reaching the U.S.

The detainees included families, including children as young as age 4. Some also had previous immigration violations. The whole caravan is set for deportation from the U.S.

While the caravan wasn’t the largest this year, it was among the most populous in recent months. In June, a caravan of 31 parents with kids was found trying to cross the border.

Video

In March and April, the U.S. saw the largest caravan, consisting of approximately 1,000 people, mostly from Honduras, trying to cross the U.S.-Mexico border.

The group, however, eventually splintered into smaller groups amid President Trump’s warning and the nation’s focus on the issue. It’s presumed that some migrants managed to enter the U.S., but likely only as asylum seekers.