PHX Reporter

Candidate for Arizona State Rep. Pamela Carter recently said that she believes “we should secure the border, enforce Arizona’s laws, and stop the flow.” Her comment reflects growing concerns about the escalating challenges faced by immigration authorities at the southern border including human trafficking, drug smuggling, and violent crime.

“Our open borders are allowing human trafficking, drugs (including fentanyl), gangs, drugs, and violence to pour across our border in record-setting quantities,” Carter wrote in a Sept. 10 social media post on X. “I believe we should secure the border, enforce Arizona’s laws, and stop the flow.”

There have been 440,598 total encounters to date in the Tucson Sector during fiscal year 2024, with 247,483 of these encounters being from citizens of Mexico, 80,709 from Guatemala, 3,386 from Honduras, 3,160 from El Salvador, and 105,860 from citizens from other countries.

During fiscal year 2024 to date, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has arrested 41,780 illegal aliens who have previous criminal convictions or who are wanted by law enforcement.

That’s according to an analysis of CBP Data conducted by Tucson Standard.

15,503 of these arrests have been made by the U.S. Border Patrol, and 26,277 of these arrests have been made by the CBP’s Office of Field Operations. The CBP’s 2024 fiscal year runs from October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024.

John R. Modlin, U.S. Border Patrol’s chief patrol agent in the Tucson Sector, regularly posts on X reports of arrests of these illegal alien encounters.

“8/21: Alfonso Marcelo-Hernandez was arrested by agents while he attempted to evade apprehension by walking around the I-19 checkpoint near Amado, AZ. Records checks revealed the Mexican national was convicted in 2007 of Lewd or Lascivious Acts with a Child in Salinas, California,” Modlin wrote in an Aug. 30 social media post on X.

“USBP agents arrested migrants that illegally entered the US near Douglas, AZ. A Mexican national in the group is a sex offender. Jorge Victor Zacahua-Toxtle was convicted in #GA for sexual battery against a child under 16. He faces prosecution for re-entry of an aggravated felon,” Modlin wrote in an Aug. 27 social media post on X.

“Following a K9 Alert, Tucson Sector agents seized over 110 lbs. of methamphetamine and 35 lbs. of fentanyl hidden inside a vehicle during secondary inspection at the I-19 Checkpoint.  Proud to keep these dangerous drugs out of our communities,” Modlin wrote in an Aug. 20 social media post on X.

Modlin joined the US Border Patrol in 1995 and has since worked in a variety of positions in the San Diego Sector, Detroit Sector, Miami Sector, and several posts on either coast.

See details of arrests in the Tucson sector in August 2024

Date of Arrest/Report of Arrest	Name	Citizenship	Crimes/previous convictions
8/01/24	N/A	USA	A U.S. citizen was arrested by a Willcox Station agent after finding smuggled migrants inside a pickup truck. A firearm found underneath the driver’s seat was seized. The driver faces federal prosecution.
8/08/24	N/A	USA	A vehicle fled from Nogales Station agents at the I-19 Checkpoint on July 31. Responding agents later arrested four smuggled migrants and the U.S. citizen driver that ran away when the vehicle finally stopped. The driver faces criminal charges.
8/08/24	N/A	Mexico	During a vehicle stop in Benson, AZ, all occupants of the vehicle were arrested after agents determined the driver, a visa holder from Mexico, was smuggling migrants, including two found inside the trunk of the sedan.
8/13/24	N/A	USA	During a vehicle stop in Benson, AZ, agents arrested a U.S. citizen driver along with 5 smuggled migrants discovered in the cargo area of a rental vehicle.
8/15/24	Carlos Mendoza-Padilla	Honduras	Criminal history includes a felony conviction in Florida for homicide-negligent manslaughter.  He faces felony charges for illegal re-entry.
8/16/24	N/A	N/A	A K-9 team and agents discovered methamphetamines, cocaine, paraphernalia, and a loaded handgun in a rental vehicle.
8/16/24	Juan Ventura	N/A	Juan Ventura was arrested with 11 others. Records revealed the Mexican national was convicted of rape and inflicting corporal injury to a spouse in California. He faces criminal charges.
8/19/24	Raul Torres-Lara	Mexico	In 2012, Raul Torres-Lara was convicted of assault with a deadly weapon in San Bernadino, CA.
8/20/24	N/A	N/A	Tucson Sector agents seized over 110 lbs. of methamphetamine and 35 lbs. of fentanyl hidden inside a vehicle during secondary inspection at the I-19 Checkpoint.
8/21/24	N/A	N/A	A U.S. citizen driver and passenger were arrested after agents found 3 smuggled migrants, including one inside the trunk of the vehicle. Smugglers have no regard for the safety of others.
8/21/24			A California man was arrested for attempting to smuggle three Mexican Nationals through the Immigration Checkpoint on State Route 90 near Huachuca City, AZ. The driver faces federal charges, and the migrants have been removed to Mexico.
8/21/24	Alfonso Marcelo-Hernandez	Mexico	Convicted in 2007 of Lewd or Lascivious Acts with a Child in Salinas, California.
8/22/24	Marcelino Lunez-Jimenez	Mexico	Convicted felon.  Was previously convicted of lewd or lascivious molestation in Florida. He faces felony charges for illegal re-entry.
8/23/24	N/A	Mexico	Two smuggled migrants concealed inside a storage compartment within a truck’s bed were discovered at the I-19 Checkpoint. On Friday, Nogales Station agents made the discovery during secondary inspection following a #K9Alert. The driver faces criminal charges.
8/27/24	Jorge Victor Zacahua-Toxtle	Mexico	Convicted in Georgia for sexual battery against a child under 16. He faces prosecution for re-entry of an aggravated felon.
8/28/24	N/A	N/A	USBP agents recently seized a rifle and a large amount of ammunition in Tucson, AZ.