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LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KFOX14/CBS4) — A group of student-athletes from Las Cruces faced an unexpected delay en route to a state competition when their bus was stopped at a border patrol checkpoint, prompting criticism from Congressman Gabe Vasquez, who described the incident as harassment.
The students, swimmers from Centennial, Las Cruces, and Mayfield High Schools, were traveling to Albuquerque on Friday when border patrol agents halted their bus.
Agents explained that the bus lacked school markings and was treated as a standard charter vehicle.
District officials noted that everyone complied with instructions, and the team was soon allowed to continue their journey.
Ignacio Ruiz, superintendent of Las Cruces Public Schools, said, “It was a very positive conversation, and we agreed upon some proactive measures that will both help them and of course help us to ensure that our buses are moving through those checkpoints as fast as possible.”
However, Congressman Vasquez, who represents parts of southern New Mexico, expressed concern over the incident. “We are a proud community here, and I think we have to make sure that this doesn’t happen again because my fear is that this is going to slip into a place where we don’t want to see that simply because the bus driver did not speak English,” Vasquez said.
Whitney Holland, president of the American Federation of Teachers New Mexico, also voiced her disapproval. “It doesn’t matter if it was a charter bus, if it was a marked bus if it was allowed in clear banner saying Las Cruces public schools, students shouldn’t be treated like that. Students shouldn’t they shouldn’t live in fear they were doing exactly what we’ve asked of them, which is participate in extracurricular activities,” Holland said.
Vasquez has sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security demanding answers.
When asked about specific actions to prevent future incidents, Vasquez shifted the discussion to broader immigration issues. “We’re entering a new world of immigration enforcement, and we don’t know how far the Trump administration is willing to go to bully our citizens. What’s going to lead to racial profiling in communities like ours, majority Hispanic communities, and what overreach is yet to come,” Vasquez said.
The border patrol described the stop as routine, stating, “During this operation, agents boarded an unmarked charter bus carrying personnel from Las Cruces Public Schools. The bus had no school decals, and as such, was treated as a standard charter vehicle. The agents’ primary objective was to verify the legal status of the passengers.”
U.S. Border Patrol Chief Michael Banks emphasized that agents do not target schools or students. “As chief of the United States Border Patrol, I want to take a moment to address reports that U.S. Border Patrol agents are targeting schools, churches, and school buses. The U.S. Border Patrol has a long history of defending our borders. Let me be very clear, U.S. Border Patrol agents do not target schools, school buses, or churches,” Banks said.
The district has met with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to discuss measures to prevent similar situations in the future.
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Las Cruces students stopped by CBP while traveling to state competition
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Las Cruces Public Schools release statement on Border Patrol stop
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Las Cruces Public Schools released a statement after Border Patrol agents boarded a charter bus carrying student-athletes and coaches on Friday. According to Border Patrol, agents conducted a routine immigration inspection at the checkpoint on I-25, north of Las Cruces.
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They say the charter bus had no school decal and was treated as a standard charter vehicle, but did confirm it was carrying people from the Las Cruces Independent School District. The school district says they were on their way to a state competition.
Border Patrol also says agents boarded the bus to verify the legal status of passengers. They say everyone was confirmed to be “legally present in the country and disembarked without incident.”
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EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Las Cruces Public Schools (LCPS) Superintendent Ignacio Ruiz, along with the district’s administration, met with U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Monday, Feb. 24, after agents boarded a bus of Las Cruces High School students on Friday, Feb. 21 when they were on their way to a swim meet in Albuquerque.
Vasquez: Border Patrol boards bus, ‘harasses’ Las Cruces HS students
The district says they spoke with CBP about the “implementation of proactive measures to prevent similar incidents in the future” and “remains committed to the safety, security, and emotional well-being of all students, regardless of immigration status.”
“I understand the fear and uncertainty our students and staff must have felt in that situation,” Ruiz said. “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. Our community is diverse, and every student, regardless of background, deserves to feel safe and supported while participating in school activities.”
The district says it upholds the principles established by the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Plyler v. Doe (1982) stating that all students have a right to free public education.
As we have previously reported, U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez, D-New Mexico, says the students were “harassed” after the charter bus was stopped at a Border Patrol checkpoint that Friday.
“The situation escalated after agents questioned the driver, who was unable to respond in English. Rather than de-escalating, an agent proceeded to board the bus, ignored attempts by coaches to explain the situation, and demanded information from the students, leaving them rattled and shaken,” Vasquez’s office said.
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