New immigration checkpoint is planned near Yuma
YUMA, AZ (AZFamily) — The Yuma Sector Border Patrol is planning a new immigration checkpoint along Interstate 8.
It will replace Yuma Sector Border Patrol’s former checkpoint near Telegraph Pass, which was shut down in October 2023 after a truck crashed into the site, injuring eight people, including two agents.
Yuma Border Patrol Chief Justin De La Torres said that the checkpoint was established in the 1980s. While it served its purpose, he said it is now outdated. He said it will be relocated further east to better align with traffic patterns in the area.
De La Torre said the move will strengthen border security by allowing agents to keep a closer watch on travelers heading north and east toward Phoenix.
While immigration remains the checkpoint’s primary focus, agents are also working to stop the trafficking of drugs and weapons through the region. These checkpoints across the southwest have resulted in thousands of arrests over the years for illegal drug and weapon trafficking.
“Agents also have the authority to make arrests without warrants for crimes committed in our presence, so there’s times where we encounter drug smuggling, weapon smuggling, and other laws that we enforce and we have made several arrests in those checkpoints because of that authority,” said De La Torre.
As illegal border crossings have declined, there’s been a slight uptick in drug seizures along the southern border since January. In March alone, the Tucson and Yuma sectors reported over 100 drug busts.
In addition to building a new checkpoint, Yuma border patrol has begun work to close gaps in the border wall. Crews are installing new steel panels and plan to deploy advanced technology to help detect activity in the remote desert areas.
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