Las Cruces students headed to state swim meet questioned by Border Patrol agents

LAS CRUCES — Congressman Gabe Vasquez responded Monday to reports that the Border Patrol questioned a local high school swim team on their way to a competition last week.

The students’ unmarked charter bus was reportedly stopped at a highway checkpoint north of Las Cruces on Feb. 21, en route to Albuquerque for the state swimming and diving championships. According to the Las Cruces Public Schools, the athletes were students at Centennial, Mayfield and Las Cruces high schools.

Border Patrol checkpoints are familiar features of U.S. highways near Las Cruces and Alamogordo, where automobiles, buses and trucks are directed to pass through surveillance cameras and scanners, and sometimes drug-detecting dogs, before agents inquire about passengers’ citizenship. Agents also conduct narcotics seizures and execute arrest warrants at the checkpoints.

According to reports over the weekend by the American Federation of Teachers New Mexico and the state chapter of the National Education Association, Friday’s encounter departed from routine when an agent boarded the bus and allegedly questioned students directly instead of limiting their interaction to the driver or adult chaperones. The agent reportedly addressed the students in Spanish, prompting confusion among English-speaking students, Vasquez said.

“What made it so different was the aggressiveness,” AFT New Mexico President Whitney Holland said during a news conference Monday. “It was the yelling at the students, it was the demanding of proof. I think that is what escalated the situation.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Border Patrol agents conducted “a routine immigration inspection” of the vehicle to verify the legal status of passengers.

Vasquez, a Democrat who won reelection in the southern New Mexico district last year promising to work with Republicans on border security and immigration reform, requested an accounting of the incident in a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. He also requested clarification on how agents address minors.

Since taking office last month, President Donald Trump has promised extensive deportation operations, opening locations such as schools, places of worship, hospitals and child care centers to enforcement raids.

“We cannot live in a militarized state at the border just because of who we are and the way we look, and the binational and the bilingual community that we have,” Vasquez said.

While the news conference was in progress, Republican Party of New Mexico Chairwoman Amy Barela issued a statement calling the congressman’s remarks divisive and unfair to law enforcement, saying, “These officers are not to be feared. They are protectors of our communities, ensuring that our laws are upheld, and our citizens are secure.”

A spokesperson for CBP said in a written statement that checkpoint inspections in the El Paso sector “play a vital role in maintaining the integrity of our nation’s borders.”

“They are instrumental in deterring illegal immigration and ensuring that those traveling away from the border comply with immigration laws,” the spokesperson continued. “By conducting these inspections, border patrol agents help safeguard the security and well-being of communities throughout the United States.”

LCPS Superintendent Ignacio Ruiz said he understands the “fear and uncertainty” students and staff felt in that situation.

“We believe this was an isolated event, and we will continue to work with local and federal authorities to ensure students’ educational experiences are not disrupted,” Ruiz said. “Our community is diverse and every student, regardless of background, deserves to feel safe and supported while participating in school activities.”

The school district said it had communicated with CBP about “proactive measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.” The statement also said LCPS would uphold a 1982 Supreme Court ruling that all students are entitled to free public education, including those without documented immigration status.

“Together, we will continue to foster a safe, inclusive and supportive learning environment for all,” Ruiz said.