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Trafficking of people is getting worse
El Paso Times ^ | May 26, 2003 | Diana Washington Valdez

Posted on 05/26/2003 6:04:42 AM PDT by FITZ

A recent wave of tragic deaths of undocumented immigrants from Mexico and other countries could point to a bigger problem -- the trafficking of human beings.

Mexican Catholic leaders and Mexico's National Immigration Institute claim that the "illegal contraband of undocumented immigrants has become (a profitable) industry along the Texas-Mexico border," according to a story in Norte de Ciudad Juárez.

This industry reportedly includes several networks that traffic in women and children who are used in drug-trafficking and prostitution.

Mexican officials say the Texas-Mexico crime networks make an estimated $10 million a year by trafficking in people.

In recent weeks, Mexican Catholic leaders have also criticized authorities for failing to prosecute crime syndicates that exploit men, women and children. More than one leader alleged that high-level officials look the other way because they may profit from human trafficking.

Growing problem

Officials say immigrant smugglers' business ends after they take undocumented immigrants to the border or get them across the boundary somehow.

Human traffickers, however, continue to make money off the people they smuggle through forced-work contracts or sexual exploitation. Others along the way make money by providing transportation, housing and forged documents.

"Mexico is a source country for trafficked persons to the United States, Canada and Japan, and a transit country for persons from various countries, especially Central America and China," a recent U.S. State Department report said. "There are an increasing number of persons from Brazil and Eastern Europe transiting through Mexico, some of whom are trafficked Salvadorans and Guatemalans, especially children, (who) are trafficked into Mexico for prostitution, particularly on the southern border."

Experts say the United States has documented cases of human trafficking, and U.S. officials estimate the number exceeds 50,000 each year. Human rights advocates contend the problem is global.

The Southwest

"At the end of the last century, the world witnessed the growth of a modern form of slavery -- trafficking in human beings. These modern traffickers treat women, men and children as commodities to abuse, sell and move across borders like illegal drugs or stolen weapons," according to an article for Global Issues by Ann Jordan, director of Initiative Against Trafficking in Persons, International Human Rights Law Group.

A United Nations report by James O. Finckenauer and Jennifer Schrock of the U.N. International Center National Institute of Justice notes that "the Southwest border continues to serve as the biggest point of illegal entry into the (United States)."

The persistence of immigrant smuggling that results in death or exploitation should catch the attention of organized crime investigators. Or as they say, just follow the money.

Diana Washington Valdez may be reached at dvaldez@elpasotimes.com


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Mexico; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: border; illegals; immigration; organizedcrime; slavery
In recent weeks, Mexican Catholic leaders have also criticized authorities for failing to prosecute crime syndicates that exploit men, women and children.

They aren't calling for open borders like some here have ----the crime syndicates need to be prosecuted, this should be stopped and could be stopped with inspections at the border.

1 posted on 05/26/2003 6:04:42 AM PDT by FITZ
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To: sarcasm
ping
2 posted on 05/26/2003 6:06:39 AM PDT by FITZ
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To: FITZ; madfly
truck graphic

3 posted on 05/26/2003 6:12:24 AM PDT by sarcasm (Tancredo 2004)
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To: FITZ
A recent wave of tragic deaths of undocumented immigrants..

Undocumented.

Does that mean ILLEGAL by any chance?

It wouldn't, would it?

4 posted on 05/26/2003 6:39:24 AM PDT by Gorzaloon (Contents may have settled during shipping, but this tagline contains the stated product weight.)
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To: Gorzaloon
We were able to end slavery after the Civil War, all this can be stopped. They shut down slave traders, the slave ships and all that in the past. And the greedy wanted their cheap servants then just as they do now.
5 posted on 05/26/2003 6:47:58 AM PDT by FITZ
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To: FITZ
Guard and protect our borders and keep illegals out and maybe this type of thing wouldn't happen.
Try to end corruption in the bannana republics these folks come from and create jobs in their countries and maybe they'll stay home.
At this point I can't blame most of these people from wanting to come to the U.S.A. as opposed to staying in the craphole from where they came.
6 posted on 05/26/2003 6:48:12 AM PDT by Joe Boucher
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To: FITZ
I don't know. Presidente Fox has intentionally shifted his revenue income stream and that of his wife, family, friends, and party officials from smuggling dope to smuggling people. Of course, the really big bucks continue to be in his cut of the action on all the dollars that those workers send back from the US.

The PANistas didn't wait patiently, out of power, for 70 years to pass on all the graft opportunities that they had missed. Sure, the income from Saudis, Cubans, Iraqis and other terrorists to store and help move people and material up to and over the US border s growing but that doesn't have the long term potential that moving drugs and money does.

In fact, these views will be supported in the next several days as Fox informs us and the world that taking care of wetbacks is an American problem, not a Mexican problem.

7 posted on 05/26/2003 6:58:22 AM PDT by Tacis
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To: Tacis
There are some interesting books out about Fox's wife of two years. It seems she has a lot of political ambition ---much like Hillary. One book is called "La Jefa" --The Boss and claimes she is manuevering to become the next PAN party presidencial candidate.


http://news.findlaw.com/ap_stories/i/1102/5-21-2003/20030521230001_4.html

Mexico's First Family Angry at New Books
8 posted on 05/26/2003 7:11:51 AM PDT by FITZ
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To: FITZ
We were able to end slavery after the Civil War, all this can be stopped. They shut down slave traders, the slave ships and all that in the past. And the greedy wanted their cheap servants then just as they do now.

True...Like drugs, it is demand driven. No demand, it would dry up and fizzle out. The temptation for a marginal landscaper or farmer, or other employer to pay low wages seems to be too much for them to resist.

9 posted on 05/26/2003 7:40:19 AM PDT by Gorzaloon (Contents may have settled during shipping, but this tagline contains the stated product weight.)
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To: FITZ
I am tired of America being blamed for the illegal immigration problem. It seems to be the US's fault for everything.

I wonder when someone will call to task Presidente Fox, his predecessors, and the ruling elite in Mexico, for being racists? Their plan of "ethnic cleansing" is to remove all mestizo and Indian people of Mexico.

The ruling elite of Mexico is always very white, very European......there are few if any mestizos or Indians in the ruling elite

We need to seal the Mexican border....and let Fox deal with his own people's problems. Also, rip up that sorry NAFTA treaty (obviously a failure....look at the US and Mexican economies). And, if some in the US do not like the get-tough policy against Mexico's "ethnic cleansing" campaign...ship those people to Mexico as well
10 posted on 05/26/2003 7:49:14 AM PDT by UCFRoadWarrior (Now If We Can Just Get The US Senate Democrats To Run Off To Oklahoma....)
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To: FITZ
If Bush loses the presidency it won't be over the economy, it will be over this issue.
11 posted on 05/26/2003 8:14:57 AM PDT by MissAmericanPie
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To: Free the USA; HiJinx; Carry_Okie; Spiff; JackelopeBreeder; Tancredo Fan; Reaganwuzthebest; ...
ping
12 posted on 05/26/2003 9:10:03 AM PDT by madfly
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To: FITZ
"Human traffickers, however, continue to make money off the people they smuggle through forced-work contracts or sexual exploitation. Others along the way make money by providing transportation, housing and forged documents."

They aren't the only ones, there is money being made over on this side of the border from this travesty. Plus, they are doing a fine job of hiding it too, all at the taxpayers expense. The money trail here obviously crosses both party lines.

I am not impressed with GWB's attitude toward Mexico. Kissing Vincente Fox's backside has done nothing to alleviate this problem, and is an embarassment.

Shut down the border, or let the taxpayers handle the situation. Shoot, scoop, and scoot.
13 posted on 05/26/2003 9:31:42 AM PDT by Duramaximus ( American Born, Gun_Toting , Aerospace Worker Living In A State That Worships Socialism)
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To: FITZ
And here I thought Chris Simcox Glenn Spencer et al were the villains. Hmmmm
14 posted on 05/26/2003 10:16:14 AM PDT by DLfromthedesert
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To: DLfromthedesert
There are intelligent people over there who aren't blaming him. I listened to a talk show from Juarez where they discussed massive migration as being the result of social injustice in Mexico ---they did not blame the US at all. Millions of people trying to leave their homeland is a pretty good sign there is something seriously wrong in that homeland ---and Mexico has much wealth so there is little excuse.
15 posted on 05/26/2003 10:55:31 AM PDT by FITZ
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To: Duramaximus
I am not impressed with GWB's attitude toward Mexico. Kissing Vincente Fox's backside has done nothing to alleviate this problem, and is an embarassment.

I get the impression Bush isn't doing that anymore.

16 posted on 05/26/2003 11:00:10 AM PDT by FITZ
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To: FITZ
Great!! And how do we get that message to the US citizens of Mexican descent who live here? They are being inundated with the opinions of their "leaders" who are anti-American.
17 posted on 05/26/2003 11:18:58 AM PDT by DLfromthedesert
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To: FITZ
Mexican officials say the Texas-Mexico crime networks make an estimated $10 million a year by trafficking in people.>>


Mex. officials must not read our English papers......didn't
a judge here fine ONE smuggling group the 5 MILLION they made in 18 months???

Each also recieved a deserved jail sentence.

But, knowing mexican officials I'm sure they don't want ALL
the smugglers stopped, only a *token few*......it's about
like mexico stopping all the Drug smuggling......there's
just way to many *pay offs*, going in way to many pockets
in mexico, for these officials to end it.
18 posted on 05/26/2003 12:17:14 PM PDT by txdoda ("Navy-brat")
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To: sarcasm
Apparently smuggling is picking up here in California:

San Diego Border Patrol Says Immigrant Smuggling Is On The Rise

AP Wire
May. 26, 2003

SAN DIEGO - Border Patrol agents say immigrant smuggling in Southern California is on the rise, despite U.S. efforts to tighten the country's borders in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

"The more effective we become at controlling the border, the more people have to turn to smugglers to enter the country illegally," said Spokesman Ben Bauman, whose office monitors the 66 miles of border in San Diego, and parts of Riverside, Orange and Imperial counties. Agents there arrested 341 smugglers since October, a 36 percent increase from the same period during the previous year, Bauman said.

The immigration business is profitable for smugglers and less risky than drug smuggling, Bauman said.

If caught, the smugglers, who often charge $1,500 or more per person, face lower penalties than those bringing narcotics into the country, he said.

And there are no signs of slowing demand.

Between October and mid-May, San Diego area Border Patrol agents stopped 64,293 undocumented immigrants, up 9.5 percent from the comparable period a year earlier.

Increased security only makes people take greater chances to reach the United States, said Carlos Velez-Ibanez, a University of California, Riverside professor of anthropology.

"You are going to have desperate people coming across the border, because they are hungry and their families are not eating," Velez-Ibanez said. "They put their lives on the line because of the militarization of the border."

[Do you suppose this professor is confusing the Border Patrol with the military?]

The risks of immigrant smuggling gained national attention earlier this month when 19 people died in a botched smuggling attempt in Texas. Days later, another 18 suspected illegal immigrants were found alive in a tractor-trailer at a truck stop not far from where the earlier victims were found.

http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/5947424.htm

19 posted on 05/26/2003 12:32:57 PM PDT by DumpsterDiver
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