NATION: More than 200 individuals are facing state charges for participating in a riot in El Paso County. Records show that some of them were also federally charged in connection with illegal entry to the United States on March 21. On the day of the apparent riot, a large group of presumptive asylum-seekers tore down razor wire property of the State of Texas and forced their way through a barrier of outnumbered Texas Army National Guard troops.
By Michelle Crawford-Sapenter
In Texas, the state court records indicate that seven individuals were charged for participating in the riot and criminal mischief. One of them, Junior Evaristo Benitez, was additionally charged with assault on a public servant. Another 118 were charged on a subsequent day, and 97 more were charged between Saturday and Sunday. Many of those charged remained in custody at the El Paso County Jail.
Federal Charges: Some of the rioters also faced federal charges. For instance, Venezuelan nationals like Omar Alejandro Graterol Colmenares and Jose Guillarte Acosta were charged with improper entry by an alien. They were committed to federal custody for one day in addition to time already served, and then passed on to state custody for prosecution.
The events on March 21 unfolded as hundreds of migrants gathered near the border wall south of El Paso. On the same day, a federal court put on hold Texas’ controversial SB4 law, which gives local police authority to arrest undocumented migrants.
Tempers flared, and the large group tore down razor wire placed by Texas south of the U.S. border wall, attempting to make their way past Texas Guard troops. During the chaos, a guardsman was thrown to the ground, and a Honduran national allegedly stomped on the guardsman’s knee repeatedly.
While some rioters face state charges and remain in custody, others have been federally charged in connection with illegal entry. The situation is complex, and investigations are ongoing.
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