Sean McGoffin, Border Patrol Chief for Tucson, Arizona, said that agents intercepted two human smuggling attempts after drivers evaded traffic stops in Arizona, leading to 13 arrests.
“Plot Twist: Red and Blue Lights Actually Mean Stop. You Run; You Might Just Learn the Hard Way,” said Sean Mcgoffin. “Human smugglers took extreme risks, not only endangering themselves but the lives of innocent individuals they are exploiting and the public. Smugglers tried to make a run for it… twice. Each time Tucson Sector Border Patrol said, ‘not today!’ 13 arrests later, proving you can run, but you can’t hide.”
According to McGoffin’s post, which aligns with a recent U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) media release, two smuggling incidents occurred in the Tucson Sector earlier in November. In the first incident, agents attempted to stop a 2019 Ford Expedition on Highway 82 near Sonoita. The vehicle initially pulled over but then sped off and later collided with a Jeep Wrangler, resulting in several hospitalizations. Days later in Nogales, a Chrysler PT Cruiser suspected of smuggling refused to stop, lost control, and overturned before agents apprehended the occupants. Authorities reported 13 arrests in total, including two U.S. citizens and 11 migrants from Mexico and Guatemala.
CBP’s account of the Tucson incidents reflects a broader trend of “failure-to-yield” smuggling cases in southern Arizona. Local reports frequently document pursuits where suspected smugglers disregard agents’ efforts to conduct immigration inspections, abandoning vehicles or crashing before being captured. Recent examples include an incident near Nogales where agents stopped a black Trailblazer only after the driver fled and left the SUV in gear, and another pursuit near Three Points where an immobilization device ended a high-speed chase.
The Tucson Sector has historically been one of the most active areas along the Southwest border. CBP notes that this sector spans approximately 262 miles from the New Mexico line to Yuma County and covers vast desert terrain. Analysis by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse indicates that between 2008 and 2012, Tucson was often the busiest sector for Border Patrol arrests along the Southwest border before traffic shifted towards Texas corridors.
McGoffin is the Chief Patrol Agent for the U.S. Border Patrol’s Tucson Sector and has nearly three decades of experience with the agency. Public profiles indicate he began his career as a field agent in Tucson in 1996 and later served as chief patrol agent in other sectors before returning to lead Tucson. In interviews, McGoffin has emphasized priorities such as reducing gotaways, disrupting smuggling networks, and balancing enforcement with lifesaving rescues.
