Border smugglers in Yuma, Arizona, have resorted to desperate tactics as illegal crossings plummet under the new Trump administration.
Federal agents recently arrested three men—two Americans and one Mexican—who were caught impersonating Border Patrol officers in an attempt to smuggle 24 illegal migrants into the country.
The suspects, identified as Uriel Perez-Cardenas, Jovani Sanchez-Cortez, and Kevin Valdez Ramirez, are facing federal charges for their scheme.
Dennis Quaid’s #1 Warning for Americans
Authorities say they modified a white Ford F-150 truck to resemble a Border Patrol K-9 vehicle and were using an Airbnb in Yuma to hide the migrants.
When law enforcement raided the property on January 8, they seized fake uniforms and took the migrants into custody.
A local Border Patrol agent, speaking anonymously, noted the stark contrast between the current situation and the chaos under the Biden-Harris administration.
“It’s been really quiet,” the agent told DailyMail.com. “In 2021 and 2022, yeah, it was busy then. I’ve been enjoying the quiet.”
The drop in illegal crossings is evident throughout Yuma, a city that was once overwhelmed by thousands of migrants daily.
In the four weeks since Trump’s return to office, just a single group of eight migrants—seven Guatemalans and one Brazilian—has been reported crossing in the area.
The group turned themselves in at a gap in the border fence on the Cocopah Indian Reservation east of town, which has since been blocked with cinderblocks.
This is a stark contrast to previous years when up to 1,500 migrants crossed daily during the peak of the border crisis under Biden.
Illegal migrants caught trying to enter the U.S. have also resorted to camouflage to evade capture.
Border Patrol recently detained four migrants who attempted to sneak in through sand dunes and were picked up by an American smuggler.
The smuggler attempted to flee with them in a truck, damaging two government vehicles before being stopped.
Additionally, three Mexican men were caught by dirt bike-riding Border Patrol agents wearing camouflage to blend into the landscape.
The impact of Trump’s policies is visible across Yuma.
Under Biden, the city spent $20 million on medical care for migrants in just the first nine months of 2022.
The crisis forced Mayor Doug Nicholls to declare a state of emergency as local resources were stretched to the limit.
The Family Behavioral Integrated Services medical center, which was used to process migrants, and the local homeless shelter were once packed with migrants seeking food and shelter.
Today, both stand largely empty.
“We haven’t seen very many migrants coming in recently,” said Sassa Culver of the Crossroads Mission. “None, actually.”
Trump’s administration has made securing the border a priority.
Since taking office, authorities have installed fresh rolls of razor wire, sealed large gaps in the border wall with solar-powered gates, and increased enforcement measures.
One of the most notorious gaps in the Yuma border—accessible via a dam—has now been sealed off.
Expulsions into the Mexican city of San Luis Rio Colorado have also increased, with groups of illegal migrants being sent back across the border.
For many Yuma residents, the change has been a relief. Barbara and Dennis, a retired couple who live near the border, say life under Biden was chaotic.
“I do feel safer under Trump,” Dennis told DailyMail.com. “Biden, I didn’t like him. He made it like everyone was welcome, but not everyone is welcome.”
Dennis recalled being shot at by cartel smugglers and seeing Border Patrol vehicles racing past their house at all hours.
Barbara recounted how they once took in a Cuban woman who crossed illegally and helped her turn herself in to Border Patrol.
“A lot of them are really nice people, maybe 90 percent,” Barbara said. “But there is a percentage who are criminal.”
Mayor Nicholls recently called the previous administration’s border policies a “glaring border security failure” in an op-ed for the Yuma Sun.
He emphasized the importance of maintaining control of the border and not allowing criminal organizations to exploit the system.
For Barbara, the change is welcome.
“I’m glad that we don’t have the mobs of people anymore,” she said. “It was just distressing day and night.”
The opinions expressed by contributors and/or content partners are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of LifeZette. Contact us for guidelines on submitting your own commentary.
Read the full article here
