Four Mexican citizens were accused of their alleged involvement in trafficking undocumented individuals to the United States through the Canadian border, the Department of Justice reported this Friday. Edgar Sánchez-Solís, 23 years old; Ignacio Díaz-Pérez, 35 years old; Samuel Díaz-Pérez, 26 years old; and Salvador Díaz-Diaz, 32 years old, were formally charged with about 35 counts, including conspiracy to introduce foreigners into the United States.
In a statement, the Department of Justice explained that all the accused were undocumented in the United States; additionally, Díaz-Pérez and Salvador Díaz-Días had previously been deported. "As alleged, these defendants illegally entered this country and then attempted to smuggle hundreds of foreigners each week into the United States from Mexico, Central America, and South America through the Canadian border," said Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice in a statement.
The four Mexicans conspired with other accomplices to smuggle hundreds of immigrants to the northern part of New York State, in Franklin and Clinton counties, according to the accusation.
Mexicans recorded videos to promote their services.
According to U.S. authorities, the four detainees allegedly instructed the undocumented individuals to record testimonial videos that promoted the services of the "company," despite putting them in danger with this requirement, "including multiple high-speed chases from law enforcement," Galeotti added.
For example, in April 2023, human traffickers allegedly linked to this group fled at high speed from the sector of the Burke Border Patrol Station (New York) after triggering a border alarm. On that occasion, after a pursuit, immigration authorities managed to stop the vehicle and capture one trafficker and seven undocumented individuals, three of whom were minors.
In another incident, in August 2023, a vehicle transporting foreigners and fleeing from the Border Patrol heading to Plattsburgh (New York) collided with another at an intersection. The driver and six undocumented individuals fled the scene but were eventually apprehended.
The arrest of the Mexicans is part of Operation "Recover America," a national initiative by the White House to curb undocumented immigration. The Mexicans were arrested in the states of Ohio, Georgia, and Kansas.
