Federal prosecutors in the District of Arizona moved forward with criminal charges against 197 individuals this week, marking a concentrated surge in immigration-related enforcement between March 7 and March 13, 2026.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office confirmed that the bulk of the week’s legal actions focused on individual entries, filing 132 cases for illegal re-entry and 59 cases for illegal entry. Additionally, authorities filed six cases targeting individuals accused of smuggling people into or through the state. The operations were supported by a wide net of federal agencies, including the FBI, DEA, U.S. Marshals, and Border Patrol.
Court documents from the week highlight two specific incidents involving alleged smuggling attempts. On March 6, agents with the Horse Patrol Unit tracked footprints near Gila Bend, Arizona, leading them to Marcos Antonio Arguelles-Miranda.
According to the criminal complaint, two individuals found with Arguelles-Miranda identified him as their “foot guide.” They further alleged that he had abandoned a third person in the desert who was no longer able to walk. All three individuals were confirmed to be Mexican citizens in the country without authorization.
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A separate pursuit on March 10 resulted in charges against Saul Rodriguez-Vazquez for transporting illegal aliens for profit and placing lives in jeopardy.
Border Patrol agents reported that Rodriguez-Vazquez refused to stop his vehicle, leading to a high-speed chase. During the pursuit, a Guatemalan woman jumped from the moving car.
In a subsequent interview, the woman told agents that Rodriguez-Vazquez became aggressive when the chase began and ordered her to “salta a la verga” (jump out). She stated she eventually jumped when the vehicle slowed down, though it was still in motion. Rodriguez-Vazquez was eventually stopped and arrested after agents deployed a vehicle immobilization device at an immigration checkpoint.
These arrests are part of “Operation Take Back America,” a Department of Justice initiative designed to coordinate resources from the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods. The program aims to address unlawful immigration and dismantle transnational criminal organizations and cartels operating within the United States.
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