Posted on 12/22/2007 9:57:53 AM PST by SwinneySwitch
A tactic to prosecute first-time illegal border crossers has cut down illicit crossings in the Laredo sector by as much as 36 percent, Customs and Border Protection said Friday.
"Word is spreading quickly that illegal entry has its consequences," Carlos X. Carrillo, chief patrol agent for the CBP Laredo sector, said in a news release touting the sector's first 45 days of Operation Streamline.
The zero-tolerance program drew national attention to Del Rio when courtrooms overflowed with immigrants who formerly would have been released at the border or given a notice to appear in court. Instead many never reappeared in court.
But the Border Patrol credited the program with deterring illegal immigration, which they said frees agents to spend more time intercepting smuggled drugs.
Statistics showed apprehensions in Del Rio dropped more than a third in the year since the program was implemented in December 2005. Marijuana seizures meanwhile jumped 125 percent and cocaine seizures spiked 3,828 percent.
The program was expanded a year later to the Border Patrol's Yuma, Ariz., sector, where apprehensions dropped 70 percent in the first eight months.
Streamline-Laredo began Oct. 31. Since then, anyone found coming into the U.S. illegally has been arrested, taken to court and subjected to penalties including fines and up to six months in prison.
Between Oct. 31 and Dec. 15, 1,058 undocumented immigrants were prosecuted, with judges ordering jail sentences ranging from 10 days to six months.
Dick Corelli, the Washington, D.C.-based spokesman for the federal court system, said there had been fears of overcrowded courts before Streamline-Laredo began, but he hadn't heard complaints since.
He said the district courts would reach out if they were having problems.
"Unless they're so swamped they forgot where the phones are," he said. "We haven't received much feedback."
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lbrezosky@express-news.net
A 36 percent decline, yet there are those running for President who think this problem cannot be dealt with in any other way than by granting them amnesty, making them legal, and letting them stay.
ping
And deport any politician or activist who supports amnesty right along with the illegal aliens. Had it with these idiots.
BP Ping!
If you want on, or off this S. Texas/Mexico ping list, please FReepMail me.
Everybody here is saying that the number of people “from the south” are collecting everywhere unable to cross the border.
Also Coyotes are raising their prices: going rate $7000.00
They used to be dropped off at the Greyhound station and then cross. Now they are all looking for work until they get arrested by the Federales, who are not as nice as the Border Patrol.
Bummer eh?
I believe the latest statistics say 65% of illegals are now using Coyotes to get into the country. They’re still coming just not by foot.
Guess we better just give up then.
They and their coyote guides are all on foot when they try to get around the check points.
$7000.00 for a foot guide? Sounds like a bad investment.
BUMP!
Depends on what country you’re from and why you want into the U.S.
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