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Roma, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the Roma, Texas International Bridge charged a female northbound pedestrian with alien smuggling after she attempted to enter the U.S. accompanied by two young Mexican boys.

CBP officers working at the Roma Bridge came in contact with a female northbound pedestrian Tuesday afternoon. At the time of arrival, she was accompanied by two young boys, ages nine and one. At primary, the female identified the young boys as U.S. citizens and herself, as their mother. After primary, the northbound traveler and the boys were referred to secondary for a routine immigration status check. In secondary, it was established that the female was not mother to the boys and that the boys were not U.S. citizens but citizens of Mexico.

The female, identified as Martha Nelly Guzman, a U.S. citizen, age 30 from Rio Grande City, Texas was arrested and charged with alien smuggling. After her arrest, Guzman was transported to a local detention facility where she remains incarcerated pending appearance before a U.S. Magistrate. After coordinating with local Mexican Consular Officers, the young brothers were released to Mexican Immigration authorities from Ciudad Miguel Aleman, Tamaulipas, Mexico.

Cris Cantu, CBP port director, said,” This is our first pedestrian alien smuggling case for 2009.” Cantu further added, “This is a great example of the enforcement work our officers do on a daily basis in securing our nation’s borders.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.