CARIBOU, Minn. - U.S. Border Patrol Agents assigned to the Grand Forks Sector, along with the Kittson County Sheriff’s Office, stopped a human smuggling attempt near Caribou, Minnesota on May 11.

The Kittson County Sheriff’s Office notified Border Patrol Agents assigned to the Pembina and Warroad Stations that they witnessed multiple people walking south from the international border with Canada. Officers also noticed two cars in the area and stopped the vehicles. Border Patrol Agents arrived shortly afterwards and discovered 20 people that had just crossed the border illegally. 

“This was a great example of our agents and our local law enforcement partners working together,” Chief Patrol Agent Scott D. Garrett said. The communication and collaboration between our agencies was the reason we were able to catch the migrants. As a reminder, it is unlawful to enter the United States anywhere other than a designated Port of Entry.”

All the migrants were brought to the Pembina Border Patrol Station for processing and were placed into removal proceedings.  Custody was transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement/Enforcement and Removal Operations. The group was comprised of 16 adult males, five adult females and one child with ages ranging from 3 to 43. All 20 of the migrants were determined to be citizens of Mexico and the two drivers were citizens of Guatemala.

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U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the comprehensive management, control, and protection of our nation’s borders, combining customs, immigration, border security, and agricultural protection at and between official ports of entry.