A Texas National Guardsman has been arrested and charged with allegedly smuggling a migrant illegally across the border into the United States. Bodycam footage obtained by Fox News shows the moment the Guardsman was taken into custody.
A Texas National Guardsman has been arrested and charged with allegedly smuggling an illegal immigrant into the United States, according to authorities. Bodycam footage obtained by Fox News shows the moment the Guardsman was taken into custody.
National Guardsman Arrested in Alleged Migrant Smuggling Incident in Texas
The incident occurred on Tuesday, February 28, in Kleberg County, Texas. According to a statement from the Kleberg County Sheriff's Office, at approximately 2:00 AM, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on a white Chevrolet pickup truck for a traffic violation.
As the deputy approached the vehicle, he observed two individuals inside the truck. The driver, identified as Jose Angel Pena, 34, of Mexico, appeared to be nervous and evasive in his answers to the deputy's questions.
National Guardsman Arrested in Alleged Migrant Smuggling Incident in Texas
Upon further investigation, the deputy discovered that Pena was an illegal immigrant who had been previously deported from the United States. The passenger in the truck, identified as 22-year-old Army National Guardsman Jacob Frazier, was also detained.
Frazier initially denied any wrongdoing, but later admitted to smuggling Pena across the border into the United States for $2,500. Frazier stated that he had met Pena at a gas station earlier in the evening and that Pena had asked him for a ride across the border.
National Guardsman Arrested in Alleged Migrant Smuggling Incident in Texas
Frazier was arrested and charged with human smuggling, a felony offense. Pena was also arrested and charged with illegal entry into the United States.
The arrest comes amid ongoing concerns about the trafficking of illegal immigrants across the U.S.-Mexico border. According to a report from the Center for Immigration Studies, an estimated 2.7 million illegal immigrants crossed the border into the United States in 2022.
National Guardsman Arrested in Alleged Migrant Smuggling Incident in Texas
The Trump administration implemented a number of policies aimed at deterring illegal immigration, including the "zero tolerance" policy that separated migrant children from their parents at the border. However, the Biden administration has reversed many of those policies, and the number of illegal crossings has increased in recent months.
The arrest of a National Guardsman for allegedly smuggling an illegal immigrant into the United States highlights the challenges facing law enforcement in combating human smuggling operations at the border.
