A federal court in Maine sentenced a Mexican national to eight months time served for smuggling a group of Mexican migrants across the Canadian border.

Houlton Sector Border Patrol agents received a call for assistance from a Maine State Police trooper on July 23, 2019, after he stopped a vehicle loaded with eight people. The agents arrived on the scene and conducted an immigration interview with the suspected illegal immigrants, according to information obtained from Houlton Sector Border Patrol agents.

During the interview, the agents determined all eight people in the vehicle were Mexican nationals illegally present in the U.S., officials stated. Seven of the Mexican nationals had just illegally crossed the Canadian border into Maine.

Border Patrol agents arrested all eight Mexican nationals and transported them to the Houlton Border Patrol Station for processing and deportation. Federal prosecutors charged one of the Mexican nationals with alien smuggling under 8 USC 1324. The judge sentenced him to time served — eight months.

Federal officials transferred the Mexican national to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers for deportation proceedings.

“The U.S. Border Patrol values its partnerships and cooperation with state and local agencies. Due to the vastness of our border and lack of resources, they are more valuable than ever and this event is evidence of the value in maintaining positive relationships with our state and local law enforcement partners,” Acting Chief Patrol Agent Jason Schneider said in a written statement.

During Fiscal Year 2019, Houlton Sector Border Patrol agents apprehended 52 migrants who illegally crossed the border from Canada. Of those, 27 were Mexican nationals.

Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior news contributor for the Breitbart Texas-Border team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday-morning talk show. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX and Face book.