Texas authorities have arrested 70 more migrants on rioting charges related to a March 21 incident during an attack on National Guard troops and an attempt to breach the border in El Paso, New York Post reports.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has detained more than 200 migrants the state wants to arrest and charge, but federal authorities are “not as cooperative as the Border Patrol,” one official said. The 70 arrested face disorderly conduct charges.
On Wednesday, state authorities charged nine migrants allegedly involved in an attack on soldiers stationed in the region. The detainees are accused of inciting a riot, assaulting Guard troops and causing more than $2,500 worth of property damage.
The first charge was against 21-year-old Honduran national Junior Evaristo-Benitez, who allegedly “purposefully and with malice aforethought” stomped a soldier’s knee during the attack.
The migrants involved in the riot tore down border wire set up by the state, knocking down soldiers as they rushed to Checkpoint 36, hoping Border Patrol agents on the other side would take them into custody and let them into the US.
Shortly before the border onslaught began, the soldiers began turning small groups of single adult migrants back toward Mexico. That’s when they became agitated and decided to lunge at the border guards.
A National Guard source said authorities later confiscated knives and batons from some of the rioters. At least one migrant also tried to snatch a firearm from a soldier during the incident. Some of the soldiers at Checkpoint 36 that day were hospitalised with various injuries. The National Guard source told The NY Post:
These people were willing to assault military. They were willing to assault law enforcement. They have complete disregard for our laws.
Since then, the state has increased the presence of National Guard soldiers and Department of Public Safety police officers in El Paso, and installed more border fences throughout the area to prevent illegal border crossings and encourage migrants to present themselves at proper ports of entry.
