The Department of the Interior announced that a coordinated border-security operation led by the Bureau of Land Management was carried out across public lands in southern Arizona, including at Sonoran Desert National Monument within Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail.
Sonoran Desert National Monument sits in the most biologically diverse North American desert and contains three distinct mountain ranges, the Maricopa, Sand Tank, and Table Top mountains. It is just under 100 miles from the US-Mexico border.
According to the announcement, the operation was carried out as part of the ongoing Operation Securing America’s Border Resources, BLM’s effort to “combat illegal activity, protect natural and cultural resources, and support border security.”
BLM rangers and special agents worked alongside law enforcement professionals from the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Border Patrol from Oct. 31 through Nov. 9 as part of the operation. The effort focused patrols across the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area, Coronado National Forest, Sonoran Desert National Monument and other nearby public lands.
“Operations like this show our commitment to securing the border, protecting communities, and conserving America’s public lands,” said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. “We are delivering on the Trump administration’s priorities of strong border security and responsible stewardship of our natural resources.”
During the operation, officers apprehended 48 individuals illegally present in the United States; arrested two U.S. citizens for illegal alien smuggling; conducted 37 traffic stops and seized four vehicles linked to smuggling; seized 46.5 pounds of methamphetamine and 3g of cocaine; and made 45 public contacts, inspected resource sites and repaired multiple fence breaches within the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area in Arizona.
The Department of Justice has accepted federal prosecution for several individuals and will pursue appropriate legal action, according to Interior. Two people face alien-smuggling charges under 8 USC 1324. Three are charged as material witnesses under 18 USC 3144. Sixteen face charges under 8 USC 1325 and 1326 for unlawful entry or reentry after deportation.
“The success of this surge reflects what can be achieved when federal, state, tribal and local agencies coordinate with a shared mission,” said Josiah Andrews, Bureau of Land Management special agent in charge, Region 5. “Our rangers and agents bring exceptional skill to an extremely challenging environment, and we are grateful for their tireless commitment to public safety.”
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