Another Texas National Guard soldier has been apprehended while trying to illegally transport a migrant into the United States. This incident is the third of its kind involving Texas military personnel since April, leading to growing concerns about the effectiveness of the state’s border security forces.
NewsNation has obtained an exclusive dashcam video capturing the Kinney County sheriff’s deputies arresting Brian Bermea, a 19-year-old from San Antonio. Brian, who is a part-time member of the Army National Guard, was apprehended while he was in the act of transporting an undocumented immigrant from Mexico deeper into the United States.
According to insiders, NewsNation has received information that the individual being smuggled is an experienced bull rider who does not have any prior criminal record.
Service members drawn into smuggling activities
Bermea, at the time of his arrest, was not engaged in an active mission and has never been involved in Gov. Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star. Currently, he is facing charges of felony human smuggling.
Service members getting involved in smuggling activities is becoming a recurring issue, and his case is a recent example of this concerning trend.
In April, Branden Broadhead was offered $5,000 by a cartel member to smuggle people illegally. Accepting the offer, he proceeded to pick up two illegal immigrants in Eagle Pass. However, his plan was abruptly halted by an unexpected Border Patrol checkpoint in Kinney County.
Broadhead, in an interview with NewsNation, revealed that his motivation for joining the military was to fund his education. He found himself embroiled in smuggling activities when his mother fell ill and he felt compelled to assist financially.
Right before Broadhead was arrested, a 26-year-old named Savion Johnson, who was stationed in Eagle Pass under Operation Lonestar, faced charges for trying to smuggle an undocumented migrant across the border.
Johnson is accused of attempting to evade a Border Patrol checkpoint, which resulted in a high-speed chase. During the incident, he was armed and allegedly offered a payment of up to $6,000 for his involvement in the smuggling operation.
Abbott seeks 10-year sentence for human smuggling
According to Kinney County Sheriff Brad Coe, he acknowledges that the low pay of the guardsmen might be a contributing factor to their participation in this risky behavior.
If Abbott’s proposal is passed, human smugglers in Texas will be sentenced to a minimum of 10 years in prison. The legislation is currently making its way through the courts.
How are people being recruited?
People are recruited through various means, including word of mouth, referrals from friends or classmates, and most commonly, through social media platforms like TikTok. On these platforms, human smuggling facilitators advertise clean routes and large sums of money. These ads often promise no interactions with law enforcement or a guaranteed safe return.
Once a person responds, the facilitator will transition the conversation to an encrypted app like Signal or WhatsApp. Through these platforms, further instructions will be provided, including the location where they need to go to pick up the individuals they are transporting. It is common for those who are recruited to be unaware of the identities of the individuals they will be transporting when they begin their journey from various locations across the country.
Soldiers from various locations are also deployed to Texas, where they are anticipated to stay for the foreseeable future.
In Eagle Pass, Abbott is taking measures to enhance security by installing additional razor wire. Despite an ongoing investigation conducted by the Department of Justice to determine if any civil rights violations have occurred, he has also allocated an extra $30 million for Operation Lone Star.
Operation Lone Star, which has been in action since 2021, has resulted in a hefty expenditure of over $4 billion for Texans. This extensive operation has also led to the apprehension of more than 500,000 individuals.
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