After entering El Paso, Texas, fourteen Mexican soldiers were detained by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents for several hours on Saturday.
"Just after midnight today CBP officers working at the Bridge of America's international crossing in El Paso noted two Mexican military vehicles crossing the boundary and entering the U.S.," CBP said in a statement provided to Reuters.
The soldiers said that they were unaware that they had crossed the boundary, according to the news source. CBP took custody of their guns and equipment for "safety and processing," and Mexican military leadership was informed as well.
The border was reportedly closed for two hours as a result of the event. According to Reuters, the soldiers were handcuffed and carried away.
According to Reuters, while most of the soldiers were processed without incident, one was given a civil penalty for carrying a personal-use amount of marijuana with him.
According to reports, all of the soldiers and their luggage arrived in Mexico before 5 a.m. on Saturday morning.
The border between the United States and Mexico near El Paso has recently attracted international attention as a result of a massive number of Haitian migrants who crossed into the United States at that point. Thousands have been deported back to Haiti by the US, or have crossed into Mexico to elude authorities.
Images and videos of CBP agents riding horses and allegedly whipping migrants sparked outrage around the world.
“I can’t imagine the situation where that would be appropriate," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said last week when asked about the images.
The Department of Homeland Security has launched an investigation into the usage of whips that was reported.
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