Border Patrol agents have stopped two previously deported sex offenders - one a child molester and another a rapist - from re-entering the United States.

In two separate incidents, Del Rio Sector authorities, in Texas, apprehended the criminals as they attempted to cross the US from Mexico.

A 53-year-old Mexican national was arrested by agents based at the Carrizo Springs Station for illegally crossing the border on January 24.

Border Patrol agents have stopped two previously deported sex offenders - one a child molester and another a rapist - from making their way back into the US (stock photo)

A background check revealed the man was convicted in 2012 for child molestation in Decatur, Illinois.

He served five years of a 10-year sentence before being deported in April 2017.

Following his arrest, Brackettville Station agents discovered a 48-year-old Mexican national who was trying to enter the country on January 27.

He was found to have been convicted of rape in 1996 by a court in La Grange, Kentucky, and was deported two years into a five-year prison sentence, officials said.

In two separate incidents, Del Rio Sector authorities, in Texas, apprehended the criminals as they attempted to cross the US from Mexico (pictured: U.S. Border Patrol agent looks along a section of pedestrian barrier in New Mexico)

'Apprehensions like these highlight our commitment to the safety and security of our communities,' said Del Rio Sector Acting Chief Patrol Agent Matthew J. Hudak.

'Our agents work diligently every day to prevent dangerous individuals, like these two sex offenders, from entering the county.'

Both criminals now face federal felony charges for illegal reentry after removal, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not reveal the names of the men.

All individuals arrested by the U.S. Border Patrol undergo criminal history checks using biometrics to ensure those with criminal history or gang affiliation are positively identified.