Free Republic

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of people from countries other than Mexico arrested trying to cross the U.S. southern border has almost doubled this year, the head of the U.S. border patrol told the U.S. Congress on Tuesday. David Aguilar told the House of Representatives appropriations subcommittee on homeland security the United States was continuing to experience a rising influx of what he termed OTMs -- other than Mexicans -- trying to enter the country illegally. "Apprehensions are running at a rate of 175 percent for fiscal year 2005 over FY 2004's record number of OTM apprehensions on the southwest...

RAMSEY CANYON -- A sensor that went off in the Huachuca Mountains led U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Naco Station to find a large quantity of marijuana Tuesday night. Four illegal immigrants who denied they had anything to do with the marijuana also were taken into custody. Agents seized 777 pounds of marijuana, which has an estimated street value of $621,600. The Border Patrol launched a helicopter out of Libby Army Airfield in an attempt to round up other suspected drug smugglers, mules as they are called. At least 10 were able to successfully flee apprehension in the dark...