Rio Grande Valley Sector (RGV) Border Patrol agents made 20 arrests disrupting four smuggling events. USCBP Image for illustration purposes
EDINBURG, Texas – Rio Grande Valley Sector (RGV) Border Patrol agents made 20 arrests disrupting four smuggling events.
On September 16, Fort Brown Border Patrol Station agents referred a Pontiac Torrent to the secondary inspection area after the driver displayed nervous behavior. Agents determined the three passengers in the vehicle were unlawfully present in the U.S. All subjects were placed under arrest and escorted into the checkpoint.
The following day, a McAllen Border Patrol Station (MCS) agent observed a Dodge Stratus driving away from the Rio Grande south of Penitas. The agent initiated a vehicle stop and the driver responded by stopping abruptly at a residence and abandoning the vehicle and its occupants. Four migrants, which remained in the vehicle were arrested for being illegally present in the U.S. The driver was not located.
Later that evening, RGV agents had a similar incident with a GMC Yukon near San Manuel when approximately 12 subjects fled into the nearby brush after the vehicle came to a stop. Agents apprehended five migrants, but the driver eluded apprehension.
On September 18, a MCS agent observed several subjects load into the bed of a Ford F150 south of Palmview. As the agent approached the vehicle, the driver exited and fled without putting the vehicle in park. The vehicle rolled into a mailbox and fence causing property damage. A total of seven migrants were apprehended, however the driver was not located.
All subjects were processed accordingly.
The public is encouraged to take a stand against crime in their communities and to help save lives by reporting suspicious activity at 1-800-863-9382.
Each month ViVa hosts a “First Friday” to unite cultures and learn about members of our community. Courtesy Image
Texas Border Business
McALLEN, Texas – Village in the Valley (ViVa) is happy to announce the return of “First Friday.”
Each month ViVa hosts a “First Friday” to unite cultures and learn about members of our community. This event is based on relationship building, engaging with the community, as well as creating networking connections. All are welcome to attend and connect with our members to learn and share experiences. So, mark your calendar for the first Friday of each month, 6pm and meet us at España Nouveau Mediterranean, 701 N Main St, McAllen.
“First Friday has always been an exciting community gathering,” said Dr. Onuwa Terry, Board member for ViVa. “We invite and encourage everyone to attend our First Friday Mixers and enjoy an evening of conversation and meeting new people.”ViVa’s mission is elevating and uniting the Black community while connecting cultures in the Rio Grande Valley. ViVa is a membership-based organization open to everyone, regardless of race or ethnicity. You are a perfect member for ViVa if you want to learn about the different cultures in the Rio Grande Valley, promote appreciation of cultural differences and similarities, are open to trying new things, and want to build respect and empathy for your community
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros volleyball team won the first two sets against the Texas Tech Red Raiders before ultimately falling 2-3 (25-23, 26-24, 22-25, 21-25, 13-15) to close out the Red Raider Classic on Saturday at United Supermarkets Arena. UTRGV Image
Texas Border Business
LUBBOCK, Texas – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros volleyball team won the first two sets against the Texas Tech Red Raiders before ultimately falling 2-3 (25-23, 26-24, 22-25, 21-25, 13-15) to close out the Red Raider Classic on Saturday at United Supermarkets Arena.
Senior Sarah Cruz led the Vaqueros (11-3) with 24 kills, seven digs and one ace. Sophomore Claudia Lupescu posted 14 kills and two blocks. Sophomore Margherita Giani recorded 12 kills on .400 hitting and three blocks. Junior Luisa Silva Dos Santos posted 11 six kills on .444 hitting and three aces. Sophomore Luanna Emiliano dished out 50 assists with 18 digs for her 10th double-double. Junior Regina Tijerina finished with 19 digs, six assists and three aces.
Regan Cooper led the Red Raiders (11-2) with 17 kills and two blocks. Kenna Sauer recorded 14 kills, 11 digs and two blocks. Karrington Jones finished with 14 kills and six blocks. Brooke Kansas posted 10 kills and seven blocks.
Giani recorded a pair of early kills to help the Vaqueros jump out to a 3-1 lead in the first set. Two serves later, with the score tied at 3, a Giani block sparked a 5-1 run to put the Vaqueros up 8-4. The Red Raiders answered with a 14-5 run to go up 18-13. Two servers later, with the score 19-14, a pair of Cruz kills helped the Vaqueros pull within two. The Red Raiders won the next two serves. Then, after a UTRGV timeout, the Vaqueros went on a 5-0 run, capped by a Cruz kill, to take a 22-21 lead. Three serves later, with the score tied at 23, a Giani kill brought the Vaqueros to set point and an attack error ended the set.
The Vaqueros picked up right where they left off in set two as the first point was on a Cruz kill. The Red Raiders scored the next three points to take the lead and led again at 4-3. Kills by Giani and Lupescu gave the Vaqueros a 5-4 lead. One serve later, another Lupescu kill gave the Vaqueros a 6-5 lead. The Red Raiders followed with a 4-1 run, but down 10-11, the Vaqueros went on a 5-1 run, capped by a Tijerina ace, to take a 15-12 lead. The Red Raiders scored the next three points to tie the set. Then, with the scored tied at 16, a Lupescu kill and back-to-back aces and a kill by junior Ioanna Charitonidi gave the Vaqueros a 20-16 lead. The Red Raiders scored the next four points to pull even before a Cruz kill put the Vaqueros up 21-20. The Vaqueros went up 22-21 on another Cruz kill and 24-22 on back-to-back errors. Then, with the set tied at 24, an error gave the Vaqueros set point and a Cruz kill ended the set.
The Vaqueros jumped out to a 4-3 lead on a Key kill in the third set. The Vaqueros extended their lead to 6-4 on a Lupescu kill. The Red Raiders responded with four-straight points to take the lead. The Vaqueros tied the set at 8 on a Lupescu kill and 9 on a Santos kill before another 4-0 run put the Red Raiders up 13-9. After a timeout, four Giani kills powered an 8-3 run to put the Vaqueros up 17-16. The Red Raiders responded with a 6-2 run to go up 22-19. The Vaqueros got as close as 22-23 on an error before the Red Raiders won the final two serves.
Up 5-4 early in set four, Cruz and Santos each came up with two kills to power a 5-1 run to put the Vaqueros up 10-5. The Red Raiders responded with a 4-1 run before a Cruz kill sparked a 4-0 run to give the Vaqueros a 15-9 lead. Then, with the Vaqueros up 16-10, the Red Raiders scored four-straight points as part of a 9-2 run to take a 19-18 lead. A Santos kill tied the set at 19, but the Red Raiders scored six of the final eight points to force a fifth set.
The Vaqueros jumped out to a 3-0 lead on a Giani kill in set five. The Vaqueros extended their lead to 7-3 on a block by Giani and Lupescu. The Red Raiders used a 4-1 run to pull within 7-8 before a Lupescu kill put the Vaqueros up 9-7. The Vaqueros led 12-10 on a Cruz kill when the Red Raiders won four-straight serves to reach match point. Cruz answered with a kill before a Cooper kill ended the match.
UTRGV closes out non-conference play on Monday at 8 p.m. at UTEP.
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros men’s soccer team picked up a convincing 4-1 victory over the Omaha Mavericks on Saturday at the UTRGV Soccer and Track & Field Complex. UTRGv Image
Texas Border Business
EDINBURG, Texas – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros men’s soccer team picked up a convincing 4-1 victory over the Omaha Mavericks on Saturday at the UTRGV Soccer and Track & Field Complex.
UTRGV (2-3-1) senior defender Jan Engels had an incredible match, tallying four points to tie his career high. Engels assisted on UTRGV’s first two goals, scored by freshman defender Juan Pablo Gonzalez and senior forward Moiad Ankir, then scored his own. Freshman goalkeeper Alexis Gonzalez, making his first career start, notched one save.
The Vaqueros came out on fire and took a 1-0 lead 55 seconds into the match. Engles and Co. raced down the pitch, then the senior sent a shot off the left post that rebounded to Juan Pablo Gonzalez, waiting on the opposite side. Gonzalez roped a shot past the diving keeper.
The remainder of the first half was a battle. UTRGV applied consistent offensive pressure and put together some scoring chances, but Omaha (3-3-1) goalkeeper Nathanael Sallah kept the lead at one.
UTRGV started the second half even stronger than the first, putting two goals in the back of the net in less than three minutes. Ankir charged up the right side of the pitch and Engels hit him with a perfect pass, allowing Ankir to send a hard shot through the hands of the diving keeper to make it 2-0. Shortly after, Engels wrangled an Omaha turnover and scored from the top of the box.
In the 66th minute, junior forward Martin Tellez made it 4-0 to cap a well-executed passing attack. Graduate student midfielder Yusuf Cueceoglu sent a pass to sophomore midfielder Cesar Baltazar to the left of the box, and he shoveled a diagonal pass to Tellez deep on the right side of the box to set up Tellez’s goal.
Despite the lopsided score, both teams continued to attack hard, leading to the match getting a bit chippy in the final 20 minutes. A red card was issued to a Vaquero, leaving UTRGV playing with one less man on the pitch. Omaha took advantage and scored in the 79th minute off the foot of Tevin Rochester.
Four goals is the most the Vaqueros have scored in regulation since Oct. 2019. UTRGV’s next match will be Sept. 24 at 9 p.m. at California State University-Northridge.
The City of McAllen is proudly hosting this year’s International Festival & Events Association (IFEA World) 65th Annual Conference, which will be held from September 19-21, 2022 at the McAllen Convention Center.
Elon Musk. Photo by Steve Jurvetson on Flickr, under CC BY 2.0.
Texas Border Business
Elon Musk is a businessman who has created unique and very successful business enterprises that have proven to be out of this world. We have waited several months on the list until his constellation of satellites was ready to serve South Texas with broadband service. We are pleased and honored to feature him on Texas Border Business. His latest endeavor among many, is that SpaceX files plans for ‘shell building’ in Bastrop County. Read more in this issue.
On August 25, T-Mobile CEO and President Mike Sievert and SpaceX Chief Engineer Elon Musk announced Coverage Above and Beyond. This is a breakthrough new plan to bring cell phone connectivity everywhere. Leveraging Starlink, SpaceX’s constellation of satellites in low Earth orbit, and T-Mobile’s industry-leading wireless network, the Un-carrier plans to provide near complete coverage in most places in the U.S. – even in many of the most remote locations previously unreachable by traditional cell signals. Read the rest of the story inside.
Mayor Javier Villalobos headed a delegation from McAllen and visited Apodaca recently to formalize the Sister City Relationship with Apodaca, Nuevo Leon and McAllen, Texas by the signing of a Sister City Agreement by City of Apodaca’s Mayor Cesar Garza Villarreal and McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos. Through this agreement, both cities have been joined in a long-term mutual partnership of collaboration and support in the promotion of business, trade & investments, educational exchanges, cultural exchanges, tourism promotion and exchange of good practices. Read more inside.
Edinburg: The Edinburg City Council is looking to reduce city taxes for its residents. At the last meeting, Mayor Ramiro Garza Jr., Mayor Pro-Tem Johnny Garcia, and council members David White, Daniel ‘Dan’ Diaz, and Jason De Leon voted to establish a proposal for a new city tax rate at and set a Public Hearing to be held in less than two weeks to consider its adoption. More details inside.
McAllen: Roel “Roy” Rodriguez, P.E., McAllen’s City Manager recommended to Mayor Javier Villalobos and the McAllen City Commissioners a significant decrease in the property tax rate for McAllen taxpayers as part of the proposed $630 million municipal budget for fiscal year 2022-2023. The public hearing on the proposed tax rate will be on Monday, September 12, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. at McAllen City Hall, 1300 W. Houston Ave or via Zoom. Read the rest inside.
Peñitas: City officials from Peñitas and the business community along with Hidalgo County Commissioner Everardo “Ever” Villarreal (Precinct 3) and Hidalgo County Drainage District No. 1, joined forces to break ground on the first phase of what is anticipated to be a $50 million commercial development in Peñitas.
St. Ives Reality, LLC has been working Hidalgo County and the City of Peñitas for two years. More details inside.
Hidalgo County: Judge Richard Cortez held a meeting where leaders and stakeholders from this community got together to devise strategies to help improve the quality of life for the people in Hidalgo County.
Judge Cortez said, “We have a disproportionate percentage of people in poverty in Hidalgo County when you compare it to the percentage of Texas or the United States as a whole. We have created a prosperity task force to look into the complex issues of poverty.” More inside.
Packages containing nearly 16 pounds of cocaine seized by CBP officers at Brownsville Port of Entry. USCBP Image
Texas Border Business
BROWNSVILLE, Texas — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Veterans International Bridge intercepted a load of alleged cocaine valued at approximately $211,203 hidden within a 2008 Ford.
“Our officers use multiple law enforcement tools to keep dangerous narcotics from entering our country and their effective implementation led to this drug seizure,” said Port Director Tater Ortiz, Brownsville Port of Entry.
The seizure took place on Saturday, Sept. 10, at the Veterans International Bridge when a 19-year-old male United States citizen who resides in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, attempted entry into the United States driving a 2008 Ford. The vehicle was referred to CBP secondary for further examination after a primary inspection. While in the secondary inspection area, with the aid of a non-intrusive inspection system (NII) and a canine unit, CBP officers discovered seven packages hidden within the vehicle. CBP officers removed the packages which contained a total of 15.82 pounds of alleged cocaine.
The estimated street value of the cocaine from the seizure is approximately $211,203.
CBP officers seized the narcotics along with the vehicle, arrested the driver and turned him over to the custody of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents for further investigation.
DPS special agents, with the assistance of Border Patrol and local law enforcement, this week discovered a stash house in Laredo hiding 73 illegal immigrants—60 males and 13 females. The illegal immigrants were from Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras. They were all referred to Border Patrol. Texas DPS Image
AUSTIN, Texas – Governor Greg Abbott, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), and the Texas National Guard are continuing to work together to secure the border, stop the smuggling of drugs, weapons, and people into Texas, and prevent, detect, and interdict transnational criminal behavior between ports of entry.
Since the launch of Operation Lone Star, the multi-agency effort has led to 304,700 migrant apprehensions and more than 19,800 criminal arrests, with more than 17,400 felony charges reported.
Texas has also bused over 8,000 migrants to our nation’s capital since April and over 2,500 migrants to New York City since August 5. More than 600 migrants from Texas have arrived in Chicago since late August. The busing mission is providing much-needed relief to our overwhelmed border communities.
Operation Lone Star continues to fill the dangerous gaps left by the Biden Administration’s refusal to secure the border. Every individual who is apprehended or arrested and every ounce of drugs seized would have otherwise made their way into communities across Texas and the nation due to President Biden’s open border policies.
Governor Abbott yesterday announced the arrival of two buses of migrants from Texas outside Vice President Kamala Harris’ residence at the United States Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C. This arrival of migrants comes days after Vice President Harris’ trip to Houston, where she claimed the southern border was secure and denied the existence of a border crisis.
“The Biden-Harris Administration continues ignoring and denying the historic crisis at our southern border, which has endangered and overwhelmed Texas communities for almost two years,” said Governor Abbott. “Our supposed Border Czar, Vice President Kamala Harris, has yet to even visit the border to see firsthand the impact of the open border policies she has helped implement, even going so far as to claim the border is ‘secure.’”
This week, Governor Abbott joined Fox News’ Jesse Watters Primetime to discuss Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s hypocritical response to receiving migrants from Texas in her sanctuary city. After receiving a few hundred migrants, the mayor began busing the new arrivals to the Chicago suburbs rather than welcoming them into her city.
‘[Mayor Lightfoot] is the epitome of being a hypocrite for doing exactly what she was criticizing me for but also not even acknowledging what President Biden has done,” said Governor Abbott. “President Biden has been flying migrants around the entire country, sometimes in the darkness of night. She’s never said a word about what he has done.”
DPS joined local border officials and Texans from Eagle Pass to describe the full magnitude of President Biden’s ongoing border crisis to Full Measure’s Sharyl Attkisson. The border special highlights the need for Operation Lone Star to combat the chaos caused by the Biden Administration’s continued refusal to enforce the policies that would prevent illegal border crossings and apprehend illegal immigrants.
Texas National Guard soldiers describe the pride they take in being a part of Operation Lone Star and protecting Texas communities from drug and human trafficking and other transnational crimes.
“It’s definitely rewarding to be able to give back and support the community I’ve grown up in and continue to live my life,” said Airman First Class Medelez of the 432nd Air Expeditionary Group. “With this mission, we’re helping Border Patrol mostly because they’re overwhelmed with the amount of people coming in from the southern border.”
“We have to uphold the rules and laws of Texas and the United States,” said Senior Airman Kwame Asbill.
A human smuggler led DPS troopers on a high-speed vehicle pursuit in Willacy County. The smuggler eventually lost control of the vehicle, causing it to roll over and crash. The smuggler was charged with smuggling of persons, and 12 illegal immigrants were referred to Border Patrol.
A Texas National Guard soldier described the duties he performs as part of Operation Lone Star. Working alongside DPS and other local and federal law enforcement agencies, the soldier detailed patrols along the southern border while ensuring his fellow guardsmen have the resources needed to carry out their duties.
“[The mission] is important because we need to secure our border; we need to protect our way of life, our economy, and keep drugs out of our communities,” he said.
DPS special agents and Highway Patrol troopers discovered four illegal immigrants—three females and one child—hiding in a vehicle during a traffic stop in Hidalgo County. A personal amount of marijuana and a handgun were also recovered from inside the vehicle. The driver was charged with smuggling of persons and possession of marijuana.
Texas National Guard Soldiers Apprehend 30 Illegal Immigrants On Banks Of River
Photo: Texas Military Department
Texas National Guard soldiers from the Tactical Response Unit (TRU) brush teams apprehended 30 illegal immigrants on the banks of the Rio Grande River one night recently. The TRU’s brush team covers different ground sectors each night to deter criminal activity.
“We are a quick reaction force that is intelligence-based, and we have the freedom to maneuver throughout all the zones,” said Sgt. First Class Stephen Mata. “We go to the area that is hot that week and pick and prod and try to find the illegal immigrants in that area.”
TRU operates with brush teams on land and boats patrolling the river, while partnering with other state and federal agencies to eliminate transnational criminal activity.
Laredo Sector Border Patrol agents assigned to the Laredo South station working jointly with Webb County Constables from Precinct 2 and Webb County Attorney’s Office shut down a stash house in Laredo. USCBP Image for illustration purposes
Texas Border Business
LAREDO, Texas – Laredo Sector Border Patrol agents assigned to the Laredo South station working jointly with Webb County Constables from Precinct 2 and Webb County Attorney’s Office shut down a stash house in Laredo, Texas.
On September 15, Border Patrol agents, while working their assigned duties, assisted with a welfare check at an apartment complex on West Gustavus Street. Agents were working jointly with Webb County Constables from Precinct 2 and Webb County Attorney’s Office when they discovered a numerous amount of people who were being held inside the apartment. After a thorough check of the apartment, a total of 19 individuals were removed from the apartment.
After Border Patrol agents conducted an immigration inspection of the individuals, agents determined that they were in the country illegally. All the undocumented non-citizens were from the countries of Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras were taken into custody. All were medically screened before being processed accordingly.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection welcomes assistance from the community. Citizens are encouraged to report suspicious activity to the U.S. Border Patrol while remaining anonymous by calling 1-800-343-1994.
Rio Grande Valley Sector Border Patrol (RGV) agents disrupted three human smuggling events resulting in 281 arrests. USCBO Image for illustration purposes
Texas Border Business
EDINBURG, Texas – Rio Grande Valley Sector Border Patrol (RGV) agents disrupted three human smuggling events resulting in 281 arrests.
On September 15, Rio Grande City Border Patrol Station (RGC) agents responded to a call for assistance from Starr County Sheriff’s Office investigators at a residence in Garceno suspected of harboring migrants. Agents and deputies apprehended ten migrants from Mexico and Central America unlawfully present in the U.S. Additionally, a bundle of marijuana weighing 16 pounds was seized by deputies at the residence. No caretaker was identified. The migrants were in good health and transported to the station.
RGC agents encountered two large groups, totaling 271 migrants, near Rio Grande City on September 15 and 16. The groups were comprised of 138 single adults, 75 unaccompanied children, and 58 family members. The migrants were from Cuba, and various Central and South American countries.
