Samuel Mendoza-Torres, a Mexican citizen, was arrested on February 8, 2025, near the Santa Teresa Border Patrol Station for illegal entry into the U.S. He allegedly offered a Border Patrol agent $400 to secure his release from jail. Mendoza-Torres confessed to helping illegal immigrants cross into the U.S. and acknowledged that bribing an agent was illegal,
He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. The case is under investigation by the U.S. Border Patrol and FBI. Meanwhile, other arrests related to illegal immigration and smuggling have also been reported, including individuals involved in transporting undocumented migrants across the U.S.-Mexico border.