US Citizen Arrested for 10 Days Near Southern Border

Jose Hermosillo, a 19-year-old resident of New Mexico and a U.S. citizen, was taken into custody by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on April 8 while visiting family in Tucson. The arrest occurred near the U.S.-Mexico border, specifically close to Border Patrol headquarters in Nogales, Arizona, about 70 miles from where he was apprehended. According to his girlfriend's account reported by Arizona Public Media, he was held for 10 days, during which officials stated that the arrest was due to Hermosillo’s own actions and statements regarding his immigration status.

The case documents indicate that Hermosillo purportedly confessed to illegally entering the U.S. from Mexico just a day before his arrest. His girlfriend's aunt, Grace Leyva, revealed that Hermosillo was detained at Florence Correctional Center, situated 60 miles north of Tucson. During his time in custody, Hermosillo maintained that he was a U.S. citizen, but authorities did not initially accept his claims. It was only after his relatives presented his birth certificate and social security card that he was released. Leyva expressed concerns that without these documents, Hermosillo could have faced deportation.

DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin refuted Hermosillo’s version of events, asserting that he had approached a Customs and Border Protection officer claiming to be a Mexican citizen seeking to surrender. Following a court appearance on April 11, he was held by U.S. Marshals until his citizenship documents were confirmed, leading to the dismissal of charges against him. In a separate incident, another U.S. citizen, Bachir Atallah, faced detention at the border after returning from Canada, highlighting ongoing confusion and challenges surrounding citizenship verification at border crossings, prompting inquiries to the DHS for further information.