Pembina, North Dakota — A Kenyan man arrested for illegally crossing the U.S.–Canada border near the Pembina Port of Entry is expected to plead guilty to federal immigration charges, according to newly filed court documents.
Border Patrol agents arrested Ismail Ibrahim Shukri on November 22 after surveillance equipment detected him walking south from the international border. It was approximately two miles west of the Pembina Port of Entry around 10:30 p.m. An agent later apprehended Shukri on foot about 1.5 miles south of the border.
Shukri reportedly admitted he had crossed into the United States illegally from Canada to North Dakota. He was transported to the Pembina Border Patrol Station for processing at about 10:50 p.m.
According to fingerprint records, Shukri has no prior immigration violations or criminal history.
Federal prosecutors filed charges on November 24 under 8 U.S.C. § 1325(a)(1), a statute prohibiting foreign nationals from entering the U.S. at locations not designated by immigration authorities.
Shukri’s federal public defender submitted a letter on Sunday. It requested a combined plea and sentencing hearing for the improper entry charge. The filing notes that no formal plea agreement has been reached.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about illegal border crossings along the northern U.S. border. This is an area where Border Patrol agents have reported increased activity in recent years.
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