Migrant Dies After Exiting Moving Vehicle In ‘Human Smuggling’ Attempt

A migrant has died on the U.S.-Mexico border after apparently being forced to exit a moving vehicle that was being pursued by U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) agents.

According to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection statement, the incident unfolded on March 6 after a USBP remote camera operator spotted two people at a gas station in Lukeville, Arizona, enter a gray Nissan Altima that was suspected of transporting undocumented migrants on March 6.

Field agents were notified of the possible “human smuggling activity” and, moments later, an agent in a marked USBP vehicle spotted the Nissan Altima and began pursuing it northbound on the SR 85 state highway at 65 mph. Another agent soon joined the pursuit, the CBP said.

Shortly after that, the Nissan slowed to approximately 45 mph and a man and woman exited the moving vehicle from the right rear door.

The first border agent continued pursuing the Nissan while the second stopped to attend to the man and woman, who were both later identified as illegal immigrants from Mexico.

The man was bleeding from his face, had labored breathing and a possible broken arm, and appeared to be unconscious. The border agent put him in the recovery position and monitored him until emergency services arrived, the CBP said.

The woman appeared to have only minor injuries. She told law enforcement officials that the driver of the vehicle ordered her and the man to exit the moving car. The front-seat passenger opened the rear right door, but she refused to jump out because the car was traveling too fast. Once the driver slowed down, she and the male jumped from the car before it accelerated away.

The Nissan stopped a couple of miles further down the road and its two remaining occupants were taken into custody, the CBP said.

Emergency services transported the male migrant to Banner University Hospital in Phoenix, where his condition continued to deteriorate. He suffered a permanent loss of brain function after the incident and was pronounced dead on March 8, according to the CBP.

The preliminary cause of death was due to complications caused by blunt force trauma, according to an autopsy performed by the Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner.

Investigations into the incident remain ongoing and a review is being carried out by the CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility.

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