PHARR — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Pharr International Bridge arrested a female Pharr resident on charges of alien smuggling..

On June 29, a green Mercury Villager minivan driven by a 36-year-old female United States citizen arrived at the Pharr/Reynosa International bridge with four minors. She showed agents her U.S. passport and birth certificates for four minor children traveling with her. During a secondary inspection, it was discovered that one of the children, an 11-year-old male, was a Mexican national without documents.

Additionally, officers at the Hidalgo International Bridge arrested two males posing as U.S. citizens this weekend. CBP officers at the Hidalgo International Bridge arrested a 24-year-old and a 41-year-old man, both Mexican nationals from Tamaulipas, who agents say attempted to enter the U.S. by claiming to be citizens.

All three individuals were arrested and incarcerated pending an appearance before a U.S. Federal Magistrate on criminal charges for violation of U.S. immigration law. The three minor United States children were released to an adult family member and the minor Mexican national boy was released to a U.S. Health and Human Services Office of Refugee Resettlement facility where he will be temporarily housed.