Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 133 border-related cases this week, according to a March 13 announcement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The high number of cases highlights the ongoing challenges faced by law enforcement along the U.S.-Mexico border, particularly in San Diego and Imperial counties. The district is one of the busiest in the country due to its proximity to Mexico and includes major ports of entry such as San Ysidro, which is described as the world’s busiest land border crossing.
The charges filed this week include bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the United States after deportation, and importation of controlled substances. Among those arrested was Yu Zou, a U.S. citizen charged with bringing in aliens for financial gain after allegedly presenting false immigration documents at Otay Mesa Port of Entry on March 9. Carlos David Lizarraga Santos, a Mexican citizen, was charged with importation of a controlled substance after officers found 41 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in his vehicle at San Ysidro Port of Entry on March 10. Johan Estuardo Garcia-Grajeda, a Guatemalan citizen previously deported in October 2025, was arrested on March 10 for attempted entry after deportation near Tecate Port of Entry.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said that these cases were referred or supported by several federal agencies including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). State and local law enforcement partners also provided support.
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, prosecutors in the district handle proactive cases involving terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security matters.
The office emphasized that indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
