Texas

Border pitfalls: Teen misses graduation after El Paso smuggling pursuit arrest

Published

1 year ago

June 7, 2024

Border pitfalls: Teen misses graduation after El Paso smuggling pursuit arrest

Instead of attending his high school graduation ceremony, an El Paso-area teenager was in jail after being arrested in a migrant smuggling high-speed chase on the West Side, court officials said.

The Operation Lone Star case is among the continuing risks young people face getting involved in border migrant smuggling vehicle pursuits on El Paso’s streets.

Heat wave in the Borderland: El Paso Border Patrol reports 4 migrant heat deaths over weekend

Jabin Encinas, 17, is accused of leading Texas state troopers on an 80 mph chase through residential streets in a Chevrolet Silverado transporting undocumented migrants, Assistant District Attorney John Briggs said at a teleconference bond hearing on Sunday, June. 2.

Encinas, of Socorro, was booked into the El Paso County Jail on Friday, May 31, on charges of smuggling of persons with a firearm, unlawful carrying of a weapon and evading arrest in a vehicle. He was released on a surety bond on Tuesday.

Under Texas law, persons 17 and older are considered adults in the criminal justice system.

Teen smuggler suspect misses high school graduation

Encinas has no prior criminal record, had completed high school and was supposed to have taken part in his graduation ceremony last Saturday, public defense attorney Richard “Rick” Huffman said at the bond hearing. The name of the high school was not disclosed.

Huffman added that Encinas, who lives with his mother and grandmother, plans to study mechanical engineering and is enrolled to start soon at the University of Texas at El Paso.

“I spoke to his mom. His mom was really surprised by this. This is way out of character, judge,” Huffman told Magistrate Judge Ruben Nuñez at the hearing while seeking to have the bond amounts reduced.

West El Paso migrant smuggler pursuit

The incident started in the border smuggling hot zone near Santa Teresa, New Mexico, just west of El Paso.

Texas Department of Public Safety troopers monitoring U.S. Border Patrol radio transmissions learned that a group of migrants had climbed over the border wall in New Mexico and were heading to a known smuggler pick-up spot, Briggs said at the hearing.

The migrants got into a Chevrolet Silverado, which a trooper found on Artcraft Road after it crossed the state line into Texas, the prosecutor said. The trooper attempted to pull over the truck because a brake light was out and registration expired in 2022.

The pursuit began when the driver of the Silverado refused to stop and traveled up Artcraft Road across Interstate 10 past a Walmart store into a neighborhood, Briggs said.

In the neighborhood, the truck momentarily stopped as three men and a woman exited and ran off before the driver continued, going 80 mph through residential streets and running red lights, almost causing several accidents before eventually stopping, the prosecutor said.

Law enforcement: The life and legacy of ‘Don Chuy.’ Undercover El Paso Border Patrol agent mourned

Troopers found a loaded .40-caliber Glock 23 handgun in the truck’s center console — which made the human smuggling charge more serious because it involved a firearm, Briggs, the prosecutor, said.

One of the persons arrested after running from the truck was an undocumented Mexican citizen, who was allegedly the “guide” for other migrants who led them on foot over the border, the prosecution said.

‘Placed a lot of people in danger’

Encinas, who is accused of being the driver, was arrested on charges of smuggling of persons with a firearm, unlawful carrying of a weapon and evading arrest in a vehicle. He was booked into the El Paso County Jail in Downtown.

Pursuits: PIT maneuver used by state troopers leads to fatal wreck in El Paso Upper Valley

Bonds were set at:

$50,000 for the smuggling case
$40,000 for evading arrest in a vehicle
$10,000 for unlawful carrying of a weapon

Huffman, the public defender, argued that the young man didn’t have a criminal record and the bonds were too high for his mother to pay. Nuñez, the judge, refused to lower the bond amount.

“Mr. Encinas, I’m not going to lower your bond,” Nuñez told him. “What it is alleged that you did placed a lot of people in danger — not just you, the people that were in the vehicle, law enforcement officers that were chasing you, but more importantly, the citizens of this community.”

Jail records show Encinas was released Tuesday on a surety bond.

Smuggler groups hiring drivers in El Paso

The pursuit last week is part of a continuing pattern of Texas DPS vehicle chases of migrant smugglers on the El Paso border.

Migrant trafficking — with its associated crimes of smuggling, kidnapping and extortion — is now as profitable as drugs for Mexican cartels on the border, Chihuahua state law enforcement officials have said.

More: El Paso high school student arrested in smuggling case after migrant falls from overpass

In the lower rungs of the smuggling organizations are the “load drivers” on the U.S. side who are hired to pick up and transport migrants after they illegally cross the border.

Generally, the drivers take the migrant “load” to a meeting spot, where someone else then transports them to a stash house, where they stay before their journey continues to other U.S. cities. Drivers are ordered not to stop for police.

Operation Lone Star made at least 33 arrests for human smuggling in the El Paso region from April 19 to May 16, according to a Texas DPS West Texas Region post on X. Those arrested were men ranging in age from 18 to 65 years old.

Border migrant smuggling: Payments and pitfalls

A quick look back at migrant smuggling cases in the El Paso Times in recent years shows drivers were to be paid from $50 to $1,000 per person — most payments appeared to be about $200 to $350 per migrant.

Teenagers and young people are being recruited by smugglers with risk-filled promises of easy cash on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and other social media, Texas DPS spokesman Sgt. Eliot Torres said in an email.

Some of those smuggler runs ended in fatal crashes and, in at least one case, a teen driver faces a murder charge set for trial next year after a Mexican migrant died in a crash while fleeing a trooper on North Mesa Street last year.

Texas DPS gives school presentations on “the dangers of human smuggling and the pitfalls that our youth go through due to recruitment to smuggle humans,” Torres said.

“Our advice is the same with any crime,” Torres said. “You get paid what you think is a lot of money to transport humans. In reality, you’re paid just a small fee that can ruin the rest of your life.”

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2025 College Football Rankings: Georgia Climbs to No. 3, Texas A&M Drops Out of Top 5

Published

9 hours ago

November 30, 2025

Press Room

2025 College Football Rankings: Georgia Climbs to No. 3, Texas A&M Drops Out of Top 5

The balance of power shifts once again to the Big Ten and away from the SEC.

The nation’s top two teams — consensus No. 1 and No. 2 — will enter the Big Ten Championship Game undefeated.

Meanwhile, after Texas defeated Texas A&M for the second consecutive year, no SEC team will enter its conference title game unbeaten. The SEC’s former top-ranked team, Texas A&M, didn’t even qualify for the championship, and the Texas squad that beat the Aggies also lost to Ohio State earlier this season.

For the last two seasons, the national champion has emerged from “The Game,” where it just means more. In that same span, the SEC hasn’t even sent a team to the title game.

It wouldn’t shock anyone if Ohio State and Indiana face off not once but twice in the postseason. What remains to be seen is whether the SEC can even find a path back to the national championship game.

Here’s a look at my top 25 rankings following Week 14 of the college football season:

25. Missouri (8-4), Previously Ranked: NR

Week 14 result: Defeated Arkansas, 31-17

Missouri running back Ahmad Hardy simply can’t be stopped. The sophomore rushed for a game-high 157 yards and a touchdown in the Tigers’ regular-season finale, marking his eighth 100-yard game in 12 contests.

24. Houston (9-3), Previously Ranked: NR

Week 14 result: Defeated Baylor, 31-24

Houston quarterback Conner Weigman accounted for 322 total yards — including 121 on the ground — and three touchdowns to cap the program’s first nine-win regular season since 2021 and only its second since 2016.

23. James Madison (11-1), Previously Ranked: 21

Week 14 result: Defeated Coastal Carolina, 59-10

James Madison put together an 11-win season in just Year 2 under head coach Bob Chesney and has as many losses to Power 4 teams as programs like Georgia, Ole Miss, Oregon, Texas Tech, and BYU. Yet even with a 12-1 record and a conference title, the Dukes could still be left out of the CFP.

In a 24-team playoff, JMU has a shot as one of the two highest-ranked Group of 6 teams, or even as an at-large pick. Still, the harsh reality is that the Dukes could finish 13-1 and never get a chance to test themselves against the sport’s elite.

22. Arizona (9-3), Previously Ranked: NR

Week 14 result: Defeated Arizona State, 23-7

The Wildcats trailed the Sun Devils at halftime before reeling off 20 points in the second half, and their defense created more turnovers (five) than it allowed first downs (three).

21. Tulane (10-2), Previously Ranked: NR

Week 14 result: Defeated Charlotte, 27-0

Tulane coach Jon Sumrall will be in his fourth conference championship game in as many years as a head coach. Tulane — along with UNT and James Madison — have a better shot at the CFP than programs like Vanderbilt, Texas, Miami, and Utah.

If that’s not reason enough to expand the CFP to 24 teams, then you might just not like college football.

20. Navy (9-2), Previously Ranked: 19

Week 14 result: Defeated Memphis, 28-17

The Midshipmen are the first team to hold Memphis to under 20 points in the Tigers’ last 52 games. A win against Army would give Navy back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time in school history.

19. North Texas (11-1), Previously Ranked: 18

Week 14 result: Defeated Temple, 52-25

North Texas capped its best regular season ever with 11 wins, punching its ticket to the American Conference Championship Game. With a win next weekend, North Texas could earn its first trip to the College Football Playoff.

18. Michigan (9-3), Previously Ranked: 15

Week 14 result: Lost to Ohio State, 27-9

The Wolverine offense ran fewer than 50 plays against the Buckeyes. Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood passed for just 63 yards, and star wide receiver Andrew Marsh didn’t record a single catch.

17. Virginia (10-2), Previously Ranked: 17

Week 14 result: Defeated Virginia Tech, 27-7

With its first win over Virginia Tech this decade, the Cavaliers secured just the second 10-win season in program history and a berth in the ACC Championship Game. A victory there would also earn UVA its first trip to the CFP.

Neither accomplishment seemed within reach for a team that had won just 11 games combined over the previous three seasons. It’s a remarkable turnaround under coach Tony Elliott, who should be a lock for ACC Coach of the Year.

16. USC (9-3), Previously Ranked: 22

Week 14 result: Defeated UCLA, 29-10

The Trojans would be the last automatic qualifier to the proposed 24-team CFP as the fourth-best Big Ten team, thanks to a 7-2 conference record and a head-to-head win over Michigan.

But once again, this blue blood will have to watch another season go by without earning a shot at the national championship.

15. Utah (10-2), Previously Ranked: 16

Week 14 result: Defeated Kansas, 31-21

The Utes finished 10-2 after going 5-7 last year, narrowly missing a chance at the Big 12 title game. In a 24-team College Football Playoff, Utah is likely one of the top teams and would be a worthy contender for a national championship.

14. Vanderbilt (10-2), Previously Ranked: 14

Week 14 result: Defeated Tennessee, 45-24

Quarterback Diego Pavia led Vanderbilt to its first 10-win regular season with another stellar performance: 383 total yards — including 165 rushing — and three total touchdowns. He is one of the best players in the country and should be considered a Heisman finalist, representing one of the most remarkable turnarounds in major college football history.

13. Alabama (10-2), Previously Ranked: 12

Week 14 result: Defeated Auburn, 27-20

Alabama notched a win over its rival and punched its ticket to the SEC Championship Game.

Crimson Tide QB Ty Simpson threw three touchdown passes, all to junior wideout Isaiah Horton, who had just five total touchdowns in the previous 11 games combined.

12. Notre Dame (10-2), Previously Ranked: 13

Week 14 result: Defeated Stanford, 49-20

Have the Fighting Irish done enough to earn a spot in the College Football Playoff? That’s the million-dollar question.

Marcus Freeman’s team certainly looked the part Saturday night, rolling up 49 points and 514 yards of offense in a dominant win over Stanford.

11. Miami (Fla.) (10-2), Previously Ranked: 11

Week 14 result: Defeated Pitt, 38-7

The Hurricanes are still ranked behind Notre Dame in the CFP selection committee’s rankings, but after beating No. 22 Pitt to cement a 10-win season, you’d expect that to change. Then again, with that bunch of suits, nothing should be assumed.

10. BYU (11-1), Previously Ranked: 9

Week 14 result: Defeated UCF, 41-21

BYU’s season now comes down to one game.

The Cougars could use style points, but their hopes of reaching the College Football Playoff hinge entirely on Saturday’s Big 12 Championship Game. To secure a spot, they must beat the only team that has defeated them this season: Texas Tech.

9. Texas (9-3), Previously Ranked: 10

Week 14 result: Defeated Texas A&M, 27-17

The Longhorns have beaten Texas A&M two years in a row, and no one enjoys it more than Texas RB Quintrevion Wisner, who recorded Texas’ first 100-yard rushing performance of the season with 155 yards.

Texas might still have a chance to make the College Football Playoff, but its 3-2 record against top-10 teams — and a loss to a 3-9 Florida team that fired its head coach in October — does little to help its case.

8. Texas Tech (11-1), Previously Ranked: 8

Week 14 result: Defeated West Virginia, 49-0

The Red Raiders left no doubt they are the best team in the Big 12 with a showcase win for the College Football Playoff selection committee.

Texas Tech racked up 572 total yards, including 300 passing from quarterback Behren Morton, 33 first downs, and 188 rushing yards — all without a single 100-yard rusher.

7. Oklahoma (10-2), Previously Ranked: 7

Week 14 result: Defeated LSU, 17-13

Take a sigh of relief, Sooner fans. It wasn’t pretty — far from it —but at 10-2, Oklahoma is now in position to host a first-round CFP game after winning four straight.

Oklahoma’s defense continues to shine, holding the Tigers to just 198 total yards in the victory.

6. Texas A&M (11-1), Previously Ranked: 3

Week 14 result: Lost to Texas, 27-17

Texas A&M came oh, so close. But after falling to their in-state rival for the second straight year, the Aggies not only drop in the rankings, they won’t even get a shot at the SEC title.

5. Ole Miss (11-1), Previously Ranked: 6

Week 14 result: Defeated Mississippi State, 38-19

Lane Kiffin’s future as head coach at Ole Miss had no bearing on how his team played with yet another 350-yard passing performance and 100-yard rushing performance from Mississippi quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and running back Kewan Lacy, respectively.

4. Oregon (11-1), Previously Ranked: 5

Week 14 result: Defeated Washington, 26-14

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore threw for 286 yards and a touchdown, while the Ducks’ defense smothered Washington QB Demond Williams Jr. from start to finish.

Dan Lanning’s squad is now 11-1 and hitting its stride at exactly the right moment.

3. Georgia (11-1), Previously Ranked: 4

Week 14 result: Defeated Georgia Tech, 16-9

Death, taxes and the Georgia Bulldogs.

That’s now eight straight wins for the Dawgs in this rivalry called “Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate.” This is a Bulldogs team lying in wait for a postseason they expect to punish opponents in.

2. Indiana ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠(12-0), Previously Ranked: 2

Week 14 result: Defeated Purdue, 56-3

The Hoosiers punctuated their first-ever undefeated regular season with 355 yards on the ground in a dominant win over in-state rival Purdue.

It was a statement for the six weeks ahead. Indiana looks like a team capable of not just contending — but winning — a national title.

1. Ohio State (12-0), Previously Ranked: 1

Week 14 result: Defeated Michigan, 27-9

Ohio State is the best team in the country.

The Buckeyes broke a nearly six-year losing streak to Michigan, secured their first undefeated regular season since 2019, earned a trip to the Big Ten Championship for the first time since 2020, and notched their 16th consecutive victory.

RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports. Follow him @RJ_Young.

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Look: Texas A&M coach Mike Elko snips in press conference after Texas trolls

Published

1 day ago

November 29, 2025

Press Room

Look: Texas A&M coach Mike Elko snips in press conference after Texas trolls

Texas football welcomed Mike Elko to his terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day on Black Friday.

As the Longhorns took the final kneels to secure a 27-17 win over Texas A&M to knock the Aggies out of the land of unbeaten college football teams, the video board at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas trolled Elko.

Texas played a short clip of Elko calling Texas A&M “the flagship program of the state” last year, with a voiceover saying “Sike” about his comments. That was met by loud cheers from the fans as Texas earned the win.

It only got worse for Elko from there. Following the loss, he lost his cool during his press conference over the noise of the Longhorns celebrating their win over the Aggies.

The loss for Texas A&M knocked to rival Texas knocked it out of the SEC Championship game.

“Can we close the door and run a professional press conference?” Elko asked mid-answer.

The good news for Elko and the Aggies: They closed out the season with an 11-1 record, including a 7-1 record in SEC play. Texas A&M has secured a spot in the College Football Playoff and, barring a major upset, should at least have a home first-round game, if not a bye in the opening round.

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How to Watch Temple vs North Texas: Live Stream NCAA College Football, TV Channel

Published

2 days ago

November 28, 2025

Press Room

The North Texas Mean Green (10-1) looks for a program-record 11th win and a spot in the American championship game on Friday afternoon when they host a Temple Owls (5-6) squad still trying to become bowl eligible after three straight losses.

How to Watch Temple vs North Texas

When: Friday, November 28, 2025
Time: 3:30 PM ET
TV Channel: ESPN
Live Stream: Fubo (try for free)

North Texas won its fifth straight game on Saturday night, rolling to a 56-24 road victory at Rice after erasing an early 14-0 deficit. Drew Mestemaker threw for 469 yards, finishing 19-of-23 with three touchdowns, and also ran for a score. Caleb Hawkins ran for 97 yards and three TDs on 20 carries, and Ashton Gray also had a rushing touchdown. Wyatt Young had a huge night with eight catches for 295 yards and two scores, and Tre Williams III caught a TD pass.

Temple’s slide continued on Saturday with a 37-13 loss to visiting Tulane. Evan Simon threw for 168 yards and two touchdowns, but the running game was limited to just 20 yards. Colin Chase and Peter Clarke made scoring catches in the loss. Simon absorbed four sacks before he was pulled from the game.

Eric Morris was announced on Tuesday as the new head coach at Oklahoma State and will leave North Texas at the end of the season. The Mean Green haven’t won a conference title since the 2004 Sun Belt championship and have a simple win-and-in scenario to reach the American championship game. They are 2-0 all-time against Temple, including a 24-17 road win on Nov. 30.

This is a great college football matchup that you will not want to miss; make sure to tune in and catch all the action.

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