A 28-year-old Corpus Christi resident was found guilty of transporting eight undocumented aliens in a cattle trailer at a Border Patrol checkpoint near Falfurrias on July 2. He claimed a friend asked him to move cattle and that he did not know who owned the trailer.
$$250,000 for maximum fine
Jose Manuel Gomez, 28-year-old convicted defendant; U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzalez Ramos, Presiding judge; Border Patrol, Investigating agency and 2 more
Hundreds of federal military troops have been repositioned to the Rio Grande Valley from other border posts and are actively patrolling. The operation, called Operation Unified Resolve, began Friday through the Joint Task Force-Southern Border. The surge follows a Coast Guard encounter with gunfire from Mexico in Starr County.
Becky Farmer, U.S. Northern Command spokesperson; U.S. Coast Guard, Federal agency; Joint Task Force-Southern Border, Military command operating Operation Unified Resolve and 1 more
On September 26, Coast Guard personnel conducting joint interdiction operations near Garceno in Starr County came under fire from the Mexican side of the Rio Grande. U.S. forces returned fire with no reported injuries or damage. In response, U.S. Northern Command announced deployment of approximately 500 soldiers to the Rio Grande Valley as part of Operation Unified Resolve, launched October 2.
U.S. Northern Command, Announced military deployment; Joint Task Force - Southern Border (JTF-SB), Conducting Operation Unified Resolve; U.S. Coast Guard, Personnel targeted in shooting and 2 more