The U.S. Border Patrol said in recent weeks they’ve seen an increase in migrants being robbed at gunpoint after crossing into the United States.
“They come here to look for a better life and prior to their entry, or at their entry, they are assaulted and robbed of what little means they have,” Angel Moreno with U.S. Border Patrol San Diego Sector said.
An already dangerous journey is becoming even more treacherous for migrants.
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“We had three different incidents where migrants reported to our agents that they had been robbed by bandits at gunpoint,” Moreno said.
All three incidents happened near the Otay Mountain Wilderness crossing area in the span of one week, according to USBP.
U.S. Border Patrol said the first incident happened on March 24, when a group of migrants was robbed by armed men.
“They were robbed of their cell phones in one of the instances, and in another instance, the migrants were asked to pay one thousand dollars each. When they didn’t have that currency on them, they were robbed of their belongings,” Moreno said.
Other migrants say they were also robbed, adding that one of the bandits attempted to separate one of the female migrants from the group and take her back to Mexico, but was unable to do so.
Border Patrol said it appears the suspects returned to Mexico following the robberies.
“All three incidents were reported to the government of Mexico via the foreign operations branch to try and identify not only where these instances were taking place, but also who the organizations that are responsible for this activity are addressed,” Moreno said.
The incidents came nearly six months after three migrants were shot and wounded in the same area.
Jose Maria Garcia Lara is the coordinator of the Alliance for Migrants in Tijuana. He said his center warns migrants of the dangers involved in crossing, including the recent robberies and assaults.
“Ultimately, when faced with need, some people will attempt to cross despite the risks. But if you inform them of the risks involved, sometimes they reconsider putting their safety on the line,” Garcia Lara said.
San Diego Border Patrol agents advise migrants to not put their lives at risk whether crossing the border over land or sea.
