The rape of a 13-year-old girl in New York City, allegedly by an Ecuadorian illegal immigrant, has put one of the most controversial areas of the southern U.S. border back in the spotlight.
Christian Geovanny Inga-Landi, a 25-year-old illegal migrant from Ecuador, was arrested in connection with the rape of the young girl Thursday, with NYPD sources confirming to Fox News that Inga-Landi crossed the border illegally near Eagle Pass, Texas, in 2021.
The small Texas city has been at the center of a bitter battle between state and federal authorities for nearly a year, with Gov. Greg Abbott making the popular illegal crossing destination a focal point of “Operation Lone Star” last year.
As part of the operation at Eagle Pass, Texas authorities placed razor wire near popular border crossings, erected a wall of shipping containers near the river, and deployed thousands of Texas National Guard troops and Department of Public Safety officers to the area in a bid to deter illegal immigrants from crossing.
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In February, the state announced plans to build an 80-acre camp near the city that will serve as an operating base for roughly 2,000 more National Guard troops, an escalation of its feud with the federal government.
While Texas has been pushing more resources to Eagle Pass since 2021, it has increased efforts in the area significantly over the last year, blaming the expiration of Title 42, a pandemic-era order that allowed authorities to quickly deport illegal migrants.
The federal government has been ramping up pressure on the state to limit its operations throughout the last year as well, filing lawsuits against the state and having federal agents cut the razor wire laid by Texas authorities. A lower court ruling initially barred Border Patrol agents from cutting state-owned wire, but that ruling was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court in a 5-4 October decision.
The fight over control of the border at Eagle Pass is the result of its unique position, being one of the most popular crossing points for illegal migrants into Texas.
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“As a key point in the busy sector of del Rio, Eagle Pass has seen an unprecedented movement of migrants in the past three years,” Alfonso Aguilar, the director of Hispanic outreach at American Principles Project, told Fox News Digital. “It has received particular attention because it is one of the areas where Texas Gov. Greg Abbott decided to make a stand to try to stem the massive flow of migrants.”
“Gov. Abbott has been forced to take action since the federal government has broken its compact with the states to protect the border,” Aguilar added.
Inga-Landi was just one of thousands who have crossed the border in the area, with police sources telling Fox News that he was processed, released and given a court hearing date. Police sources say he told agents his destination was an address in Queens, New York.
He is accused of the rape of the 13-year-old girl in broad daylight last week, with police saying he allegedly wielded a machete as he approached the girl and a 13-year-old boy she was with, tied the two together, and raped the girl at a popular park.
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Surveillance video of the area led police to identify Inga-Landi as the primary suspect, after which tips pertaining to his whereabouts came flooding in.
He was eventually arrested after a group of neighbors recognized him from a wanted poster, with about 10 people holding him down until police could arrive to arrest him in the early morning hours Tuesday.
According to Aguilar, more criminals like Inga-Landi will be allowed in at crossings like Eagle Pass if such hot spots aren’t secured.
“By not enforcing the law and by countering the efforts of states like Texas to protect the border, the Biden administration is ensuring that more criminals and individuals linked to terrorist organizations can easily enter the country, putting the lives of our citizens everywhere in the country at risk,” Aguilar said.
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The White House did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.
Get the latest updates on the ongoing border crisis from the Fox News Digital immigration hub.