Read more: Local, Crime, Politics, Illegal Immigrants, Illegal Immigration, Sewers, Border Patrol Agents, Brownsville, Cameron County, Rio Grande Valley, Texas, Border Wall, Border Fence, Hope Park, Sam Perl Boulevard, East 11Th Street, Mexico
Two men faced a judge after they allegedly led a group of illegal immigrants in a failed smuggling attempt through Brownsville’s sewers.
U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested Agustin Sanchez-Cruz and Ramon Acosta Hernandez on federal immigrant smuggling charges this past Thursday.
The two men appeared before U.S. Magistrate Court Judge Felix Recio on Monday morning.
Court documents obtained by Action 4 News show that the men led immigrants from drainage pipes at Hope Park along the Rio Grande through sewers under downtown Brownsville.
Authorities first became aware of the smuggling attempted when Border Patrol agents on bikes spotted two immigrants fleeing the drainage pipes and swimming back to Mexico.
Border Patrol agents looked around and heard voices coming from inside the manholes.
Authorities arrested Sanchez-Cruz and a group of four immigrants from a manhole off Sam Perl Boulevard.
Court records show that Acosta-Hernandez and three more immigrants were caught after emerging from a manhole off East 11th Street.
Acosta-Hernandez allegedly tried to flee and fought with agents during his arrest.
The two men were identified as the immigrants’ guides.
Judge Recio gave each the two Mexican nationals a $50,000 cash bond and ordered that they appear in court for a hearing on July 7.
At least five of the immigrants are being held as witnesses in the case.
