Cuban asylum seeker caught smuggling 2 women Easter Sunday

TUCSON, Ariz. — U.S. Border Patrol agents patrolling Ajo Highway near Three Points arrested a Cuban man for smuggling two illegal alien women April 20.

Agents assigned to the Tucson Station discovered the smuggling attempt after spotting a Hyundai Accent leave an area commonly used by human smugglers. While conducting an immigration inspection vehicle stop, they learned the passengers, a 29-year-old Mexican woman and a 30-year-old Uzbekistani woman, were in the country illegally.

Agents also found the driver, a 33-year-old Cuban national, did not have legal documents for being in the United States. They arrested all three individuals and seized the sedan.

Subsequent records checks at the Tucson Station revealed U.S. Border Patrol had arrested the driver near Brownsville, Texas in 2023. At that time, he claimed to fear persecution in his home country. He was released pending an immigration hearing.

Records checks also revealed that the Mexican woman had been removed from the U.S. more than once and was prosecuted for immigration violations in October 2024. Both women will be processed for removal proceedings while the driver faces prosecution for human smuggling charges. If convicted, he could face federal incarceration and subsequent removal from the country as well as a lifetime ban from the U.S.

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U.S. Customs and Border Protection welcomes the assistance from the community. Individuals can report suspicious activity to the Border Patrol and remain anonymous by calling 1-877-872-7435 toll free. Reporting illicit activity could result in saving someone’s life.

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