Border Patrol Delivers Major Blow to Human Smugglers in California
U.S. Border Patrol agents in California’s El Centro Sector demonstrated sharp vigilance and swift action by disrupting a significant human smuggling operation on January 31, 2026.
In Seeley, about 100 miles east of San Diego, agents spotted a suspicious vehicle believed to be involved in smuggling, leading them to an apartment complex where migrants were being transferred between vehicles. When agents moved in, seven individuals tried to flee on foot—but the pursuit ended with all being apprehended.
The operation resulted in the arrest of 23 people: four suspected human smugglers and 19 Mexican nationals. Six vehicles linked to the scheme were seized, dealing a tangible setback to the transnational criminal networks profiting from illegal crossings.
Acting Chief Patrol Agent Joseph A. Remenar praised the agents’ dedication, noting that the El Centro Sector had already proven itself the most secure stretch of the entire 2,000-mile Southwest Border in fiscal year 2025.
“El Centro Sector was the most secure section of the entirety of the 2,000-mile Southwest Border for fiscal [year] 2025, a fact that this transnational criminal organization must have overlooked,” Remenar said.
Agents’ Quick Response Highlights Frontline Effectiveness
The bust underscores the frontline effectiveness of Border Patrol personnel, who continue to intercept smuggling attempts even as overall illegal crossings have dropped dramatically.
Encounters in the El Centro Sector plummeted to just 4,633 in fiscal year 2025—down sharply from more than 17,000 in 2024 and over 50,000 in 2023—thanks in large part to renewed enforcement priorities under the current administration.
Remenar emphasized the ongoing commitment: “Our agents are dedicated to ensuring that El Centro Sector retains this level of security moving forward, as evidenced by this noteworthy interdiction.”
He added pointedly that the criminal group “found out the hard way that El Centro is not a conducive environment to conduct their illicit activities.”
Those arrested now face federal prosecution, a reminder that agents aren’t just turning people back—they’re building cases against the smugglers who exploit vulnerable migrants for profit.
Declining Crossings Reflect Stronger Border Security
This successful interdiction arrives amid broader progress at the southern border, where aggressive measures—including reinstating Remain in Mexico, ending catch-and-release, accelerating border wall construction, and ramping up deportations—have contributed to fewer attempts overall.
Border Patrol’s role remains indispensable in detecting and dismantling these operations inland, protecting communities from the dangers tied to unchecked smuggling rings.
