The man had previously been accused of rape and sodomy on a drugged victim.
An illegal immigrant working as an agricultural laborer has been arrested in Southern California after US border authorities said he previously faced several serious criminal charges, including rape and sodomy of a drugged victim.The El Centro Sector of US Customs and Border Protection said its agents arrested the Mexican national while he was working in Thermal, a farming community in Riverside County, California. The agency did not identify the man but posted his photo on social media.According to CBP, the man was previously charged with rape and sodomy of a drugged victim, assault with a deadly weapon, and preventing or dissuading a witness or victim.“Agents from the Indio Station arrested an illegal alien from Mexico working as an agricultural laborer in Thermal, California,” the agency said in an Instagram post.Located about 25 miles southeast of Palm Springs in the Coachella Valley, Thermal Area is home to several agricultural operations, including farms that produce dates and specialty crops.The arrest sparked mixed reactions online, with some users praising the authorities and others commenting on the suspect’s appearance.
Immigration enforcement has remained a controversial issue in the Coachella Valley. Earlier this year, local lawmakers and immigrant rights advocates criticized federal enforcement in the area, arguing that it disrupted families and businesses.Congressman Raul Ruiz had called the situation a “public health crisis,” saying parents have been detained, businesses have lost workers, and families are struggling to locate their detained relatives.The arrest comes days after another immigration case involving an Indian national. Indian national Deepak Kumar, 31, of Fresno, California, is in US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody after Pennsylvania authorities accused him of transporting nearly $3 million in stolen tungsten oxide powder.According to the New York Post, investigators tracked down a truck carrying 10 pallets of tungsten oxide powder, worth an estimated $2.86 million, after Mitsubishi Materials Corporation reported the shipment missing.Authorities said Kumar presented an invalid work visa, a fake New York state driver’s license, and a valid California driver’s license when he was stopped by police.He was arrested on robbery charges before being taken into ICE custody in California. Investigators said the synthetic materials are used in products such as armor-piercing munitions, ceramics, lasers, optical equipment and specialized window coatings.