SAN YSIDRO, Calif. — Federal prosecutors say four people have been charged for trying to illegally cross the U.S.-Mexico border in an ambulance by faking a medical emergency at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
While U.S. citizens in Mexico can be transported by ambulance across the border for medical care, officials note there is a formal process in place, NBC San Diego reported.
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On July 6, @CBP officers at the San Ysidro Port of Entry intercepted an ambulance used in an attempt to smuggle a Guatemalan national into the U.S. under the guise of a medical emergency. The individual lacked legal documents. Federal prosecution accepted. #OFOProud🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/sMYXpvaA1s
— Director of Field Operations Sidney Aki (@DFOSanDiegoCA) July 8, 2025
Ambulances are always sent to secondary inspection, where patients are transferred to a U.S. ambulance. In true emergencies, patients are typically treated at a hospital in Mexico to avoid delays.
On July 6, Elias De Jesus Cobos-Oviedo was charged with smuggling after allegedly trying to enter the U.S. in an ambulance with a paramedic and a man posing as a patient, authorities said. Prosecutors claim he falsely stated the man needed CPR and used a California ID for him, but Border Patrol officers noticed inconsistencies, including dry blood and a misplaced defibrillator.
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Officers identified the patient as a previously deported Guatemalan citizen with no medical issues, according to the complaint. He and the paramedic were detained as witnesses but not charged.
Cobos-Oviedo, now out on bond, faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. A colleague described him as a respected paramedic focused on saving lives.
