Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Fake documents swamp Houston
Houston Chronicle ^ | May 6, 2008 | JAMES PINKERTON

Posted on 05/06/2008 8:10:08 AM PDT by SwinneySwitch

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

Rise in demand is putting pressure on authorities

Illegal immigrants fearful of being caught in stepped-up workplace raids are fueling a growing market in Houston for phony immigration and work documents.

The result, experts say, is a glut of false, altered and counterfeit documents that are easily obtained at Houston-area flea markets, businesses and clandestine printing shops set up in homes and apartments. The bogus documents include counterfeit Texas driver's licenses, fake Social Security and "green cards," and even worthless international driver's licenses sold here and in other states.

"You could put all of HPD full time on this thing, and I don't think we could put a dent in it," said Lt. Robert Sells, with the Texas Department of Public Safety's driver's license fraud unit.

The demand has been so strong that law enforcement officers in Texas have been bribed in recent years to sell the valuable documents, and several dozen have been caught.

An ex-federal prosecutor said heightened enforcement has not only boosted demand for counterfeit documents, but increased the price and quality of the fakes.

"You're seeing stepped-up law enforcement of the worksite, and that leads to more identity theft and false document prosecution," said Kevin Lachus, a former Immigration and Customs Enforcement attorney now with the Tindall & Foster immigration firm in Houston. "That results in more training for human resource officials, which makes them more expert in spotting documents, and results in even more sophisticated counterfeit identity documents."

On Houston streets, a top-quality counterfeit green card proving legal residency commands $500, federal agents say. Even shabby green cards bring $15 to $100 while a good-quality package — a driver's license, green card and Social Security card — can cost $350.

Immigrants sometimes resort to buying real documents from corrupt officials at steep prices.

(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: aliens; immigrantlist; immigration; india; southkorea; trinidadandtobago
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-30 next last
"We do seem to have a lot of internal crime in Houston. I don't know what the deal is. Maybe it's because it's such a big city."

Sanctuary city comes to mind.

1 posted on 05/06/2008 8:10:08 AM PDT by SwinneySwitch
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: SwinneySwitch

The “K-word” also comes to mind.


2 posted on 05/06/2008 8:11:14 AM PDT by dfwgator (Go Stars!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SwinneySwitch
Welcome to the third world.

What did you expect, America?

3 posted on 05/06/2008 8:12:02 AM PDT by skeeter
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SwinneySwitch

This is what happens when the voters and politicians look the other way. The problem eventually festers and becomes overwhelming.

Buckle up, my friends.


4 posted on 05/06/2008 8:12:05 AM PDT by A_Former_Democrat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Be_Politically_Erect; acoulterfan; Ultimatum; Sterco; expatguy; Paige; Tennessee_Bob; cspackler; ...

Pinkerton ping!

If you want on, or off this S. Texas/Mexico ping list, please FReepMail me.


5 posted on 05/06/2008 8:12:18 AM PDT by SwinneySwitch (US Constitution Article 4 Section 4..shall protect each of them against Invasion...domestic Violence)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SwinneySwitch

Between the illegals and the Katrinamals, Houston is F-—ed.


6 posted on 05/06/2008 8:12:51 AM PDT by Clemenza (I Live in New Jersey for the Same Reason People Slow Down to Look at Car Crashes)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SwinneySwitch

“You could put all of HPD full time on this thing, and I don’t think we could put a dent in it,”

Give anyone found with one 2 years in prison and anyone trafficking in one 5 years in prison, and the operation would 99% dry up in 6 months.


7 posted on 05/06/2008 8:14:52 AM PDT by elfman2 ("As goes Fallujah, so goes Central Iraq and so goes the entire country" -Col Coleman, USMC ,4/2004)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: elfman2

Give any employer accepting one 2 years in prison and any employer accepting more than one 5 years in prison, and the operation would 99% dry up in 6 months.


8 posted on 05/06/2008 8:24:29 AM PDT by FewsOrange
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: FewsOrange
Give any employer accepting one 2 years in prison and any employer accepting more than one 5 years in prison, and the operation would 99% dry up in 6 months.

So long as there is a way for the employer to prove authenticity. As it stands today, even the most expensive verification methods fail a great deal of the time.

I've had reputable services say the ID's were authentic only to later have the employee admit they were fake (thus not getting the job).
9 posted on 05/06/2008 8:30:59 AM PDT by TexasGunLover ("Either you're with us or you're with the terrorists."-- President George W. Bush)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: FewsOrange

The Rats love it. More teachers, police, social workers, prison guards needed..more tax money to manage and disburse.
We need to vote and vote with our feet. Leave these areas and don’t continue supporting them with your tax dollars.


10 posted on 05/06/2008 8:33:26 AM PDT by Oldexpat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: SwinneySwitch

Dem voting fraud can live off this fake ID tidal wave. The constitutionality of requiring govt issued photo ID has little value. I’m for retinal scans.


11 posted on 05/06/2008 8:35:01 AM PDT by Praxeologue
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SwinneySwitch


12 posted on 05/06/2008 8:38:38 AM PDT by Diogenesis (Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SwinneySwitch
We left Houston in 1984 - even then you could get fake IDs at the flea markets.

Carolyn

13 posted on 05/06/2008 8:40:43 AM PDT by CDHart ("It's too late to work within the system and too early to shoot the b@#$%^&s."--Claire Wolfe)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: elfman2
The prisons are already full -

Carolyn

14 posted on 05/06/2008 8:41:42 AM PDT by CDHart ("It's too late to work within the system and too early to shoot the b@#$%^&s."--Claire Wolfe)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: elfman2
Give anyone found with one 2 years in prison and anyone trafficking in one 5 years in prison, and the operation would 99% dry up in 6 months.

Never happen. La Raza and the Democrat Party would scream how racist such an act would be as obviously it was meant to target Hispanics.

15 posted on 05/06/2008 8:57:09 AM PDT by VeniVidiVici (Ted Kennedy - Codename -> "Bobber")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: SwinneySwitch

dittos.. it’s a lousy sanctuary city


16 posted on 05/06/2008 9:07:47 AM PDT by dennisw
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: FewsOrange
Give any employer accepting one 2 years in prison and any employer
accepting more than one 5 years in prison, and the operation would
99% dry up in 6 months.


That seems to be the strategy in the U.K.
Last night I saw a report on BBC World News (carried by PBS station)
in which the U.K. police were raiding a food-processing plant.

Something like half of the 50-odd workers were in the UK illegally,
two were immediately deported...but the real focus of the raid
was to document the problem and SPANK the employer with heavy fines.

The only problem I see is that fines just are viewed as "the cost
of doing business".
SEIZURE and liquidation of the assets of the employer of illegals
might be "the nuclear option" needed to really send a message.
17 posted on 05/06/2008 9:13:47 AM PDT by VOA
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: SwinneySwitch

” The bogus documents include counterfeit Texas driver’s licenses, fake Social Security and “green cards,” and even worthless international driver’s licenses sold here and in other states.”

Fake ID’s....more from the ‘family’ values types who would NEVER break our laws!
Well, if we’d just do what McCain wants and make them ALL legal, we wouldn’t have this problem.


18 posted on 05/06/2008 9:17:28 AM PDT by AuntB (Vote Obama! ..........Because it's hard to blame 'the man' when you are the 'man'.... Wanda Sikes)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 1_Inch_Group; 2sheep; 2Trievers; 3AngelaD; 3pools; 3rdcanyon; 4Freedom; 4ourprogeny; 7.62 x 51mm; ..

ping


19 posted on 05/06/2008 9:33:50 AM PDT by gubamyster
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Diogenesis

The True Face of the Democrat Party

20 posted on 05/06/2008 9:36:43 AM PDT by ArrogantBustard (Western Civilization is Aborting, Buggering, and Contracepting itself out of existence.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-30 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson