Two people violently attacked a group of 13 migrants making their way through the Arizona desert.
The attack was caught on surveillance footage and shared by the acting Chief Border Patrol Agent for the Yuma Sector, Carl Landrum.
Landrum shared the video in a tweet with the caption: “2 bandits from Mexico violently assaulted a man & woman who were part of a group of 13 Cubans and Brazilians attempting to illegally enter the United States near Yuma.”
He added, “Crossing illegally into the U.S. is very dangerous, especially when criminal elements operate in the same areas.”
2 bandits from Mexico violently assaulted a man & woman who were part of a group of 13 Cubans and Brazilians attempting to illegally enter the United States near Yuma. Crossing illegally into the U.S. is very dangerous, especially when criminal elements operate in the same areas. pic.twitter.com/znfmbVsL5c
— Carl E. Landrum (@USBPChiefYUM) March 13, 2020
The video showed the group of 13 walking toward a bridge to cross a small canal. They were approached by two men who attacked members of the group, including one woman. The attack took place on Saturday and was posted to Twitter by Landrum on Thursday.
Jose Garibay, Border Patrol’s Yuma Sector spokesman, told the Arizona Republic that the agency believes the two bandits were attempting to rob the migrants. He noted that the attack took place west of the point of entry in San Luis, Arizona. He also explained that both sides of the canal in the video are in the U.S. and are not part of the border, though the attack did take place near the point of entry.
Landrum said the bandits were from Mexico, but Garibay noted that their identities were not confirmed by Border Patrol because they returned across the border after assaulting the group.
The danger presented to migrants has been one of the chief arguments against President Trump’s policy requiring that asylum seekers from Central America remain in Mexico while waiting for a judgment. Trump’s “remain in Mexico” policy was struck down by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, but the Supreme Court announced on Wednesday that it would allow the policy to stay in place while lower-court challenges play out.
