Non-Mexican illegal aliens a U.S. security headache

signonsandiego ^ | February 4, 2005 | Alan Elsner

[VU4G10]

Tens of thousands of people from countries other than Mexico illegally crossed the Mexican border into the United States last year, creating a growing security headache for U.S. authorities.

Mexicans caught by U.S. border patrols trying to enter the country illegally are usually immediately returned to their native land.

But Mexico accepts only Mexicans, so any non-Mexicans are checked against government watch lists as a potential security or criminal threat. If their names do not appear, many are released on their own recognizance and told to appear at a deportation hearing often months in the future. The majority fail to show up for the hearing and are never seen again.

"The fear is of al Qaeda people sneaking across the Mexican border because it's become so much harder for them to get into the country by other means," said Mark Krikorian of the Center for Immigration Studies, referring to the organization that carried out the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States. He noted that it took only 19 people to hijack the planes which destroyed the World Trade Center, damaged the Pentagon and killed almost 3,000 people.

U.S. authorities have since vastly tightened visa scrutiny and airport checks, especially for people seeking to enter the United States from the Middle East.

But law enforcement agents across the southwest border are alarmed that the United States is releasing thousands of non-Mexicans, said Rep. Solomon Ortiz, a Texas Democrat.

"Those released include individuals from nations the U.S. defines as state sponsors of potential terrorism or from those nations who have produced a large number of al Qaeda militants," he said. Experts believe that about 7,000 people who were not from Central America or Mexico were detained on the U.S.-Mexican border last year. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, an agency of the Department of Homeland Security, declined to give a breakdown of where all detainees were from.

Ortiz and Texas Republican Rep. Henry Bonilla wrote to President Bush and former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge last August protesting what they termed a "catch and release" policy but received no response.

NOT JUST FROM LATIN AMERICA

U.S. officials last week intercepted a small plane and arrested four illegal Chinese immigrants it was transporting from the Texas-Mexico border to San Antonio.

Even those from Central American countries could pose a potential threat, according to Louis Sadler, an expert on border security with New Mexico State University.

"Some of these nations like Honduras have considerable Middle Eastern communities," he said.

Gangs and drug cartels have deeply involved in smuggling aliens across the border and might be willing to smuggle potential terrorists if the price was right, Sadler said.

Dean Boyd, a spokesman for the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said that anyone caught entering the country who posed a safety or national security threat was detained pending deportation.

As for others who did not show up in criminal or security data bases, he said: "If there is not enough bed space in detention centers, they may be issued a notice to appear in court on a specified day. People from different geographical regions of the world are not treated differently."

[Mr. Mojo]

Non-Mexican illegal aliens

Oh, you mean Special Interest Aliens?

[brytlea]

''But Mexico accepts only Mexicans''
Huh? Who cares. Take them to Mexico and release them there. Since when does Mexico respect borders??
sundero

[montag813]

Tens of thousands of people from countries other than Mexico illegally crossed the Mexican border into the United States last year, creating a growing security headache for U.S. authorities.

WHY? They all just want to "WORK TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR FAMILIES"!!! They "bring their values"!

[txdoda]

Tens of thousands of people from countries other than Mexico illegally crossed the Mexican border into the United States last year, creating a growing security headache for U.S. authorities.

So where are our lawmakers who just love writing 'new laws' for citizens every year ??

Enact a law that we can immediately ship the lawbreakers back to their home countries, & then bill the home country. Home country won't pay ?? Deduct bills from any US foreign aid, or stop issuing any type 'legal' work visas to said country.

[captain anode]

This is where a good old circus canon comes in handy. Just load ‘em up an’ lob ‘em back, no hassles at the crossing and no paper work!

[stopem]

"ens of thousands of people from countries other than Mexico illegally crossed the Mexican border into the United States last year, creating a growing security headachefor U.S. authorities.

Wow SECURITY RISK??

I am shocked.

[4.1O dana super trac pak]

-ping-

[familyop]

"People from different geographical regions of the world are not treated differently."

And that's a big part of the problem. Some cultures exactly like or very much like our own are easy or effortless to accomodate. Cultures that are very different from our own are difficult and expensive to assimilate. Why is that so hard for our government and corporate bosses to understand?

[upchuck]

Theyz gonna be he11 to pay if this country is attacked again and it is determined the sleazbag terrorists invaded our precious country via our southern border.

Unbelievable that President Bush and/or Ridge did not respond to the letter from Ortiz and Bonilla.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Ping

[AuntB]

"Ortiz and Texas Republican Rep. Henry Bonilla wrote to President Bush and former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge last August protesting what they termed a "catch and release" policy but received no response."

[philetus]

Al Qaeda seeks tie to local gangs


By Jerry Seper
THE WASHINGTON TIMES

A top al Qaeda lieutenant has met with leaders of a violent Salvadoran criminal gang with roots in Mexico and the United States — including a stronghold in the Washington area — in an effort by the terrorist network to seek help infiltrating the U.S.-Mexico border, law enforcement authorities said.

http://washingtontimes.com/national/20040928-123346-3928r.htm

[philetus]

Nov. 22, 2004
A key al-Qaeda operative seized in Pakistan recently offered an alarming account of the group's potential plans to target the U.S. with weapons of mass destruction, senior U.S. security officials tell TIME. Sharif al-Masri, an Egyptian who was captured in late August near Pakistan's border with Iran and Afghanistan, has told his interrogators of "al-Qaeda's interest in moving nuclear materials from Europe to either the U.S. or Mexico," according to a report circulating among U.S. government officials. Masri also said al-Qaeda has considered plans to "smuggle nuclear materials to Mexico, then operatives would carry material into the U.S.," according to the report, parts of which were read to TIME. Masri says his family, seeking refuge from al-Qaeda hunters, is now in Iran.

http://www.time.com/time/archive/preview/0,10987,782068,00.html

[txdoda]

Ortiz and Texas Republican Rep. Henry Bonilla wrote to President Bush and former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge last August protesting what they termed a "catch and release" policy but received no response."

"Catch & Release".......what a hoot !!

No wonder illegals come by the MILLIONS, even *if* they're caught, nothing happens to them......thanks to our *lawmakers* in DC.....:o(

[philetus]

Al-Qaida said to recruit in Latin America
Region on alert amid growing evidence of terrorist presence
The Associated Press
Updated: 6:46 a.m. ET Aug. 22, 2004

MONTERREY, Mexico - Governments throughout Mexico and Central America are on alert as evidence grows that al-Qaida members are traveling in the region and looking for recruits to carry out attacks in Latin America — the potential last frontier for international terrorism.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5786549/

[blackie]

Hang 'em High!