Police in Texas arrested three U.S. Army soldiers for an alleged conspiracy to smuggle undocumented immigrants. On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Justice said two soldiers stationed at Fort Cavazos, Texas, traveled from the Army base to a town just north of the Mexican border to illegally transport one Mexican national and two Guatemalan nationals last week. A third soldier was the alleged recruiter and facilitator of the scheme.

What You Need To Know

  • Police in Texas arrested three U.S. Army soldiers for an alleged conspiracy to smuggle undocumented immigrants

  • On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Justice said two soldiers stationed at Fort Cavazos, Texas, traveled from the Army base to a town just north of the Mexican border to illegally transport one Mexican national and two Guatemalan nationals last week

  • A third soldier was the alleged recruiter and facilitator of the scheme

  • The soldiers are charged with bringing in and harboring aliens

Soldier Mendoza Lopez was charged with bringing in and harboring aliens in an Alpine, Texas, court on Tuesday. Soldiers Angel Palma and Enrique Jauregui are scheduled to appear in court Thursday for bringing in and harboring aliens, as well as assaulting a federal agent when their vehicle struck a U.S. Border Patrol vehicle, injuring the agent inside.

According to the United States Sentencing Commission, 70% of individuals who smuggled undocumented immigrants into the country in 2023 were U.S. citizens. Texas is the most active area for alien smuggling.

The announcement comes 47 days before President-elect Donald Trump is scheduled to be inaugurated. Trump has pledged “mass deportations” of undocumented immigrants.

CORRECTION: This story has been updated to reflect that the correct name of the base is Fort Cavazos. (Dec. 5, 2024)