LAREDO, Texas — U.S. Border Patrol agents at the Laredo North immigration checkpoint on Interstate 35 detained an individual attempting to pass through the checkpoint with fraudulent identification documents during a late-night Greyhound bus inspection on July 7, according to the agency.
According to Border Patrol, agents detected inconsistencies in the documents and determined that the individual — described by the agency as a Mexican national — was in the United States illegally. The individual was taken into custody, and both the fraudulent documents and a cell phone were seized for further examination, according to the agency.
Federal charges are pending, Border Patrol said. The individual was not named in the release.
According to the agency, the interception is part of ongoing enforcement operations at the Laredo North checkpoint. Border Patrol said synthetic identity fraud and document forgery have been increasing, and the agency is deploying additional detection tools and training to identify altered or counterfeit documents at ports of entry and interior checkpoints.
The agency added that under the guidance of President Donald J. Trump and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, Border Patrol is working to maintain the integrity of the nation’s borders and to identify emerging threats at inspection points.
Anyone with information about suspicious activity at the border or at inspection checkpoints can report it to Customs and Border Protection by calling 1-800-635-2509.
Source: U.S. Customs and Border Protection
