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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
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"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.
To: SwinneySwitch
The “K-word” also comes to mind.
2
posted on
05/06/2008 8:11:14 AM PDT
by
dfwgator
(Go Stars!)
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
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.
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)
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)
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)
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.
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)
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
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.
To: SwinneySwitch
12
posted on
05/06/2008 8:38:38 AM PDT
by
Diogenesis
(Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum)
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)
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)
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")
To: SwinneySwitch
dittos.. it’s a lousy sanctuary city
16
posted on
05/06/2008 9:07:47 AM PDT
by
dennisw
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
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)
To: 1_Inch_Group; 2sheep; 2Trievers; 3AngelaD; 3pools; 3rdcanyon; 4Freedom; 4ourprogeny; 7.62 x 51mm; ..
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.)
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