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Arizona Republic reporters explain the difference between seeking asylum at the border and attempting to immigrate illegally.
Carly Henry, The Republic | azcentral.com

A mother of three and another woman were arrested on suspicion of trying to smuggle an undocumented man from Mexico into the United States while she had her children in the vehicle, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol said. 

Customs and Border Patrol said agents in Nogales working the Interstate 19 checkpoint south of Green Valley on Sunday evening directed a 39-year-old Rio Rico woman’s Ford Expedition for a secondary immigration inspection of her two adult passengers.

MORE: 78 migrants arrested in ICE operation in Arizona

During questioning, the agents discovered the 29-year-old female passenger was from Mexico but had a border crossing card. The male passenger was a 23-year-old Mexican national who was in the United States illegally, Customs and Border Patrol said. 

Agents arrested both women for human smuggling and the man was processed for immigration violations, Customs and Border Patrol said. 

In the vehicle during the inspection were the Rio Rico woman’s three children, ages 10,11 and 13, along with her 5-year-old nephew. The woman also had a loaded .38 caliber pistol strapped to the side of her hip, Customs and Border Patrol said. 

Customs and Border Patrol said the agents turned over the woman’s three children to the state Department of Child Safety and the 5-year-old nephew was turned over to his mother. 

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