Agents round up 41 illegal immigrants
FROM STAFF REPORTS
May 22, 2007 - 10:30PM
Forty-one illegal immigrants - including two smugglers and eight juveniles - were apprehended Tuesday 12 miles south of Wellton, according to a news release.

At roughly 1 a.m., U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Yuma sector's Wellton station tracked footprints that led to the group.

During interviews, it was discovered that the human smugglers responsible for aiding the illegal entry were among the group. The juveniles were between ages 14 and 17.

They were transported to the Wellton station for processing. A records check revealed the smugglers have histories of multiple prior apprehensions.

According to Yuma sector records, the largest apprehension was in February 2006, when agents apprehended 129 individuals in a single incident.

According to Maranda Weber, senior patrol agent, agents routinely encountered groups of 40 illegal immigrants crossing in 2005 and 2006. However, with increased manpower and resources at the border, apprehensions have been declining, as well as the number of individuals in the groups.

According to Weber, the sector has seen a 68 percent decrease in apprehensions this year compared with the same period last year.

The Mexican Consulate was contacted for the Tuesday incident and will conduct further interviews of the individuals.

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APPREHENSIONS ON THE DECLINE

Yearly (October to September) illegal immigrant apprehension totals:

- 2005: 138,437

- 2006: 118,544

- 2007: 28,839 (as of April 30)

Source: U.S. Border Patrol

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