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The U.S. Border Patrol's largest union local has asked President Bush to put an end to the scores of Mexican military incursions into the United States that have put Border Patrol agents at risk of being injured or killed. "It is disgraceful that Border Patrol agents are put in harm's way and our government doesn't do everything reasonably within its power to protect us from marauding Mexican soldiers and others," said Edward "Bud" Tuffly II, head of Local 2544 of the National Border Patrol Council (NBPC) in Tucson. "Without a forceful response to these illegal incursions, an agent will eventually...

SAN JUAN - A group of nonprofit agencies in the Rio Grande Valley said Wednesday they were suing the U.S. Border Patrol for clear answers on whether there would be document checks of residents fleeing a hurricane. The lawsuit, to be filed Wednesday in federal court in McAllen, claims conflicting statements by U.S. Customs and Border Protection have brought fear and confusion to a region where many families are split between unauthorized immigrants and U.S. citizens or legal residents. Those families have said they would not evacuate if there were reason to fear deportation as they board buses or pass...

Two U.S. senators called on U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to back off its assertion that it can search laptops and other electronic devices owned by U.S. citizens returning to the country without the need for reasonable suspicion of a crime or probable cause. Senators Russell Feingold, a Wisconsin Democrat, and Patrick Leahy, a Vermont Democrat, both urged CBP to reconsider its policy that apparently has lead to frequent searches of laptops, digital cameras and handheld devices at borders. "If you asked [U.S. residents] whether the government has a right to open their laptops, read their documents and e-mails,...

A Border Patrol agent fired his gun at a suspect Monday afternoon. The agent shot in self-defense, and does not know whether he hit the man, who fled across the Rio Grande to Mexico, leaving behind his Chevy Suburban packed with illegal immigrants, said Oscar Saldana, a spokesman for the agency. The suspected coyote tried to run over the agent, Saldana said. CBP is investigating the circumstances of the shooting in a rural area south of Donna, and have not yet determined whether the rounds hit their target, he said. "The agent defended himself and there were no injuries to...

Simply giving a U.S. Customs inspector your word that you are an American citizen won’t be good enough to re-enter the country after Wednesday. Beginning on Thursday, Americans aged 19 and older traveling back to the United States from Mexico or Canada will have to present a U.S. passport or other approved travel documents while trying to gain entry back into the United States. Individuals who don’t have a U.S. passport or the approved travel documents will then have to present a government issued photo identification and valid birth certificate to gain access back into the country. Approved travel documents...

CBP Air and Marine accepted delivery of CBP 110, the third Predator B in the CBP A&M inventory, from General Atomics, Inc. in December 2007. CBP A&M now has three Predator B’s assigned to the UAS Operations Center in Sierra Vista, Ariz. CBP 110 will operate on the southwest border until it is deployed to Grand Forks, N.D. for Northern Border operations in spring 2008. The fourth Predator B, CBP 113, is scheduled for delivery in early 2008. This aircraft will support border protection missions on the southwest border. Current initiatives at Sierra Vista include Border Security Flights, UAS pilot...

Phoenix – A mother and daughter, both wanted in Florida on charges of racketeering, were apprehended by alert U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Wednesday night. While screening passengers arriving from Mexico City, CBP officers examined documents belonging to 24-year-old Silvana Theurell-Portillo. While asking routine questions of Theurell-Portillo, the officers queried her name in their systems and discovered that she was a fugitive, wanted in St. Lucie County, Fla. on gambling and racketeering charges. During questioning of her mother, 65-year-old Marina Portillo, CBP officers discovered that she also was wanted on similar charges in...

CBP CORE VALUES Vigilance is how we ensure the safety of all Americans. We are continuously watchful and alert to deter, detect and prevent threats to our Nation. We demonstrate courage and valor in the protection of our Nation. Service to Country is embodied in the work we do. We are dedicated to defending and upholding the Constitution of the United States. The American people have entrusted us to protect the homeland and defend liberty. Integrity is our cornerstone. We are guided by the highest ethical and moral principles. Our actions bring honor to ourselves and our agency.

SAN DIEGO — Leather belts with brass buckles are out; nylon belts with quick-release plastic buckles are in. Slacks are out; lightweight cargo pants are in. Shiny badges and nameplates are out; cloth patches are in. The Border Patrol uniform is getting its first makeover since the 1950s to look more like military fatigues and less like a police officer's duty garb. The new uniform, introduced this week, reflects how illegal border crossings have changed in the last decade. As enforcement heightened, routes moved from the streets of San Diego and other border cities to unforgiving, often remote mountains and...

He says he was unfairly demoted over 'potential' terrorist incident A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer is suing the federal government for $3.3 million, alleging discrimination after he was demoted in connection with an incident that allowed "a potential terrorist-related subject into the U.S." without a completed background check, according to court records. Rolando Cano, who was a supervisory inspector at the Hidalgo port of entry before his demotion, filed a lawsuit in federal court in McAllen alleging he was subject to discrimination and harassment based on his age, gender and ethnicity — charges denied by U.S. officials. A...

Federal authorities arrested Margarita Crispin this morning at the Pas Del Norte Bridge and charged her with conspiracy to import a controlled substance. According to an indictment, from June 2003 until July 2007, Crispin conspired with others to import more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana into the United States. Federal authorities say Crispin knowingly allowed loads of marijuana to pass through her port of entry lanes unchecked. Crispin remains in federal custody. Her initial appearance is expected to occur Monday afternoon in U.S. Magistrate Court in El Paso. A news release by Attorney Johnny Sutton states the case is being...

Jay Gillilland, a former U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer, has been sentenced to 6,242 years in jail for sexually exploiting his young daughter over the course of two years. Gillilland was arrested on drug charges in 2004 when police officers discovered child pornography on his home computer while executing a search warrant. During a subsequent search of a storage locker Gillilland had rented in Nogales, Arizona, officers discovered more than two hours of videotape depicting him sexually abusing his daughter, who was between six and eight years old at the time. Agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement...

Fed up with what they see as poor management and a lack of support for those on the frontline, U.S. Border Patrol agents Monday announced a lack of confidence in their leadership. Amid rallies in Washington D.C. focusing on illegal immigration, leaders of the National Border Patrol Council (NBPC) - the union representing the country's 11,000 non-supervisory border agents - announced it had cast a unanimous no-confidence vote in U.S. Border Patrol Chief David V. Aguilar. The 100-0 vote stemmed from complaints that field agents lack support from the top, a situation they say is exemplified by the case of...

Rising violence against Border Patrol agents in the Rio Grande Valley is the biggest challenge facing the sector today, a retiring Border Patrol chief said Friday. Rio Grande Valley sector Chief Lynne Underdown, 49, spoke to reporters after announcing her retirement following 27 years with the Border Patrol. She recalled her alarm in December 2005 when unseen assailants on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande were shooting at agents on boat patrol, where they were at "maximum exposure." "This is not a position you learn on," she said. Since then, agents have repeatedly been shot at, including two incidents...

McALLEN (AP) - A federal judge berated a former U.S. Customs inspector before sentencing him to 14 years in prison for accepting $1 million in bribes to let 50 tons of drugs into the United States. "It's a shame you've done this to yourself and everybody else working in your agency," U.S. District Judge Ricardo Hinojosa told Lizandro Martinez, 45, on Friday. Martinez admitted that for 2 1/2 years he took bribes of $10,000 each time he allowed pickup trucks crammed with marijuana through his lane at the Progreso International Bridge in Texas. Hinojosa noted Martinez wasn't concerned about the...

News Release U.S. Customs and Border Protection's unmanned aircraft, CBP 104, detected and assisted Border Patrol agents in the apprehension of a wanted fugitive in the vicinity of Anderson Mine along the Arizona border with Mexico around midnight Tuesday (EDT). The CBP Air and Marine unmanned aircraft detected and tracked six suspected aliens during surveillance operations along the Arizona border with Mexico. CBP Border Patrol agents and Air Interdiction Agents responded to the scene, arresting all six aliens, one of which is wanted for child rape in King County, Washington. "There is no greater illustration of Customs and Border Protection's...

NUEVO LAREDO — Dozens of Nuevo Laredo city police officers have had their visas cancelled when they tried to cross into the United States at Laredo, according to several law enforcement sources. Some of the officers have accused U.S. Customs officials of mistreatment, saying they were handcuffed to a chair and interrogated before being sent back to Nuevo Laredo with their border crossing document — known as a visa láser — revoked. Guillermo Landa Gudiño, head of the city’s public safety division and the erstwhile police chief, said he believes the U.S. agents are responding to a list of about...

Robert Villarreal helped stabbed children Web Posted: 01/24/2007 12:05 AM CST Karen Grace KENS 5 Eyewitness News Robert Villarreal says he's not a hero, although everyone has been calling him one. Villarreal was driving down Jones Maltsberger Road at 11 a.m. when he saw a 10-year-old boy covered in blood asking for help. The boy is the real hero, he said, because event though he was stabbed, he escaped to get help. "I think he needed help. He was hurt. He was bleeding," Villareal said. Villarreal didn't hesitate to act. He stopped and got out to help. "Don't assume someone...

Should employees of the Customs and Border Protection have their primary residence in the United States? With the hundreds of thousands of people trying to get into this country to take advantage of the opportunities here, most readers would probably think it was always a requirement--or that most people in federal jobs would automatically take up residence here instead of living in a country where so many people want to leave. In reality, living in the United States has not been a requirement and some agents have preferred to live in Mexico or Canada. That, presumably, could cause concerns about...

For the second time this week, a border inspector was arrested and charged with waiving smugglers into the country in exchange for bribes. Customs and Border Protection Inspector Richard Elizalda of Chula Vista was indicted Friday, along with seven other people, on conspiracy and other charges. The indictment was unsealed Thursday. Authorities said smugglers bribed Elizalda with cash and a Lexus automobile to allow them to use his lane at the San Ysidro border crossing to bring illegal immigrants and marijuana into the United States. Another inspector was brought into San Diego federal court Wednesday on similar charges. Authorities said...

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer is accused of helping smuggle illegal immigrants into the country in exchange for thousands of dollars. Officer Michael Anthony Gilliland, 44, was charged in federal court Wednesday with allowing immigrant smugglers to pass freely through his inspection lane at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry 15 miles southeast of downtown San Diego. He is being held without bail pending a hearing on Friday. He was arrested Tuesday following a two-year investigation by the Border Corruption Task Force, a multi-agency group that focuses on officers at the Otay Mesa and San Ysidro Ports of...

U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents arrested a British couple arriving in Phoenix on a flight from London after discovering more than $130,000 in cash secreted in their luggage, officials said. David Robinson, 41, and Tracy Jane Robinson, 33, were arrested Saturday after customs officials found the cash during a screening at Sky Harbor International Airport, said Brian Levin, a Customs spokesman. The Robinsons are from Portsmouth. The couple were charged in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Phoenix on Monday with evading currency reporting laws which require those entering the country to declare cash in excess...

MIAMI— A shipment of 70 kilograms of cocaine with a street value of more than $1 million bound for the streets of Miami was seized here this weekend as a result of a combined effort by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The contraband, which was seized in two parts, was hidden within wooden pallets of an empty shipping container. The first load was discovered aboard the Providence II, a Haitian registered cargo ship that arrived at the Miami River, while the second load was discovered in the shipping yard. "Drug traffickers...

The growth in the number of agents patrolling US borders has slowed in the 4½ years since the September 11 terrorist attacks and concerns over illegal immigration override fears of terrorist infiltration in the allocation of border resources, according to a new analysis

WASHINGTON — Acknowledging widespread security lapses within the nation's immigration system, the Bush administration announced Wednesday it is opening anti-fraud task forces in 10 cities, including Atlanta, to crack down on fake driver's licenses, passports and other methods used to obtain immigration benefits. "Millions have used fraudulent documents" to obtain work permits or to provide cover for criminal or terrorist activities, said Julie Myers, assistant Homeland Security secretary for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, who cited "an epidemic" of bogus identification documents generated by highly sophisticated crime networks. The enforcement initiative, which combines Homeland Security immigration agencies, the U.S. Department of...

WASHINGTON - A former homeland security official will tell Congress Thursday morning that his one-time superiors are turning a blind eye towards deep-rooted corruption and the involvement of foreign agents in the nation's immigration system. Michael Maxwell, who until early this year was the director of the Office of Security and Investigations at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service, said in an interview Wednesday that his bosses "buried their heads in the sand" and refused to act on "major national-security vulnerabilities" that his team brought to their attention. "These breaches comprise virtually every part of the immigration system, leaving vulnerabilities...

The United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) has dealt the fatal blow to the controversial concept of Guest Worker Amnesty to 12 million illegal aliens now living in the United States in defiance of our laws. The GAO is the investigative arm of Congress charged with examining matters relating to the receipt and payment of public funds. In a devastating report released today, the GAO charges the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) – this is the agency under the Department of Homeland Security that would be in charge of proposed Guest Worker Amnesty – with a failed organizational...

Washington, D.C. – Last night (on January 4, 2006) Department of Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Michael Jackson swore in Dr. Emilio Gonzalez as the new Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Nominated for the position in September 2005, Dr. Gonzalez appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee on October 18, 2005, and was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on December 23, 2005. “It is an honor and privilege to have been selected by President Bush to lead the USCIS team,” said Director Gonzalez. “The outstanding work of my predecessor, and the countless contributions of dedicated employees have established a...

The U.S. House adopted landmark legislation Friday night that would classify illegal immigrants as felons, pay local police to arrest them, and crack down on businesses that employ them. Representing the most significant attempt at immigration reform in two decades, the bill passed on the strength of a Republican majority seeking to show average voters that lawmakers are serious about closing the nation’s borders to drug smugglers, terrorists and violent criminals. The final vote was 239-182, mostly along party lines. Key elements of the bill include mandating that employers use a federal database of Social Security numbers to verify workers...

On August 26, 2005, the Center for the Study of Popular Culture, the Federation for American Immigration Reform, and the Coalition for Immigration Reform of California co-sponsored a conference on illegal immigration at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. Below are the transcripts of speeches given by three of the participants in that conference: Heather MacDonald, a John M. Olin fellow at the Manhattan Institute; Dr. James Edwards, an Adjunct Fellow at the Hudson Institute; and Dr. Glynn Custred, a Professor of Anthropology at California State University, the East Bay. All three touch on the interrelated nature...

MANCHESTER, NH -- The influx of illegal aliens is a perennial problem to all citizens of these United States. The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) recently estimated that there are approximately eight million illegal aliens hiding within our borders; defined as those who have lived here continuously for at least twelve months. Half of these illegal aliens came into the United States by illegally crossing the border while the other half entered the United States legally, but then overstayed the terms if their non-immigrant status or non-immigrant visas. Additionally, the costs to our public schools, social programs, correctional facilities, and...

FORT HUACHUCA - Unmanned aerial vehicles are important to the Army and the U.S. Border Patrol. That connection is being demonstrated at this Southern Arizona Army post and the Border Patrol's Naco Station as soldiers and agents work together on reconnaissance flights near the U.S.-Mexico border. The Army green and Border Patrol green are doing a job to stop "TNT, trans-national threats," said Capt. Terry Parisher, commander of Company A, 224th Military Intelligence Battalion. Now that the Department of Defense's Joint Task Force North has expanded authority to provide more military support beyond anti-narcotic operations, units such as the Hunter...

Five American Muslims will file a federal lawsuit today after they and dozens of others were detained last December by United States border agents as they returned home from a religious conference in Toronto, their lawyers said. The Muslim men and women, all American citizens who live in New York, said they and others were held up to six and a half hours at border crossings, interrogated, photographed and fingerprinted simply because they told customs agents they had attended "Reviving the Islamic Spirit," a large annual conference organized by Muslim organizations in Canada. None of those detained had engaged in...

Saturday, April 16 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM Simultaneous rallies at the US Border Patrol Headquarters in Douglas and Naco, A. These rallies/demonstrations will be in support of a sizeable budget increase for USBP and Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE RALLIES [includes driving directions to rally sites] Written by Chris Simcox, MinuteManProject.com BRING YOUR STATE FLAG ! [with flag pole] Thank you for participating in the Minuteman Project rally. Here is the plan:There are two Border Patrol stations in this area, Naco and Douglas. The rallies will be held on Saturday and Sunday, April 2...

Since the federal government proposes phasing in its new passport policy by 2008 -- and since it is designed to further secure our borders after 9/11 -- why wasn't it proposed on 9/12? Or in 1999?

AS the first Latino to head the Justice Department and the grandson of Mexican immigrants to boot, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is well situated to help formulate a policy on illegal immigration that is tough but also honest about Americans' addiction to cheap labor. Now Gonzales has a chance to tackle the issue, thanks to a challenge from a Mexican-American member of Congress. Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., recently sent the attorney general a letter asking Gonzales to send federal agents FBI, U.S. Marshals, whatever to the Arizona-Mexico border to monitor the Minuteman Project. The term refers to the 1,000 or...

Spring Break was more exhausting than rejuvenating. Not because I partied too hard, but because I found the shadows in paradise. Mazatlan, Mexico was luxurious and pampered me like I'd never experienced before. But whenever my friends and I walked around, little kids would come up to us every couple of steps with hands outstretched trying to sell Chiclets gum and beaded bracelets. It broke my heart and soon I just wanted to sit by the pool and read. According to Oxfam International, half the population of Mexico lives in poverty. A BBC study in January found that 69 percent...

A top immigration official who shot himself while driving north of Tucson last year was seen trying to shred a large amount of documents before his death, records show. Whether or not the documents shed light on the suicide, those closest to Thomas DeRouchey say one thing is clear: He was deeply troubled by his agency’s handling of immigration enforcement in Arizona. "I believe Tom shot himself, but I don’t understand the reasons," said DeRouchey’s sister, Denise Salyers. "A lot of things don’t seem very kosher and I still wonder." DeRouchey, 45, was dedicated to his job as acting chief...

HEATH, Ohio -- Two men have been arrested in the case of a young woman who said she was raped, NBC4's Karin Hirschey reported. Authorities said the two men are illegal immigrants from Mexico, which has led to the involvement of federal immigration and customs officials. Daniel Rodrigues Arriaga, 25, and Carlos Suarez, 18, are in jail for allegedly raping the young woman Wednesday night. Three additional suspects, however, are still on the loose. "We think they are still in the area," said Heath Police Chief Tony Shepherd. "We are working as we speak to locate the other individuals." Police...

The conservative political punditry certainly called this one right. Wednesday, President Bush spoke out against the Minuteman Project, which consists of about 1000 US volunteers who have grown tired of the rampant illegal immigration across our southern borders, and is assisting the US Border patrol by observing and reporting illegal activity. And, if this weren’t bad enough, GW displayed a distinct lack of knowledge on exactly how the Minuteman Project operates, by using the term “vigilantes” when referring to the volunteers. Frankly, this was an inappropriate term and displayed an elitist attitude. And this coming from a man who in...

The Washington Post all excited today, folks because they've detected another conservative split. This not is on Terri Schiavo. This conservative split is in the debate on curbing illegal immigration. "Republican lawmakers are headed for a showdown over illegal immigration, an issue that exposes a deep and bitter rift within the GOP." You know, we do get stories, "What do the poor old Democrats have to do to regain their power?" but we seldom get stories about the "bitter rifts." They do happen. I mean, we do hear about when MoveOn.org sends a letter to the DNC saying, "You guys...

The Minuteman Project mistakes the nature of our immigration problem It will be fascinating to see how the Minuteman Project, the brainstorm of Aliso Viejo resident James Gilchrist, comes off now that President Bush has referred to the effort as a "vigilante" operation of which he disapproves. It has certainly stirred a lot of interest, pro and con.

I’ve been watching with great interest the ‘Minuteman Project’ that has been developing in Arizona. This is a project to organize American citizens to patrol our border with Mexico. This isn’t some U.S. Border Patrol initiative, like the Civil Air Patrol which is an auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, but a ‘civilian’ initiative to protect our border. It is obvious that the Border Patrol is incapable, as currently organized, of protecting and defending our sovereignty from the mad rush of illegals that swarm over our southern border. Since President Bush has made it clear he isn’t interested in protecting...

By asking for only 200 new border patrol agents next year instead of the 2,000 minimum that Congress authorized, President George Bush perverts the meaning of national security. To its everlasting credit, Congress says this nation must increase the number of border agents by not fewer than 2,000 annually through fiscal 2010.

On a Typical Day, U.S. Customs and Border Protection... Processes more than: 1.1 million passengers and pedestrians, including 724,192 aliens 64,432 truck, rail, and sea containers 2,639 aircraft 365,079 vehicles 75,734 merchandise entries, and collected $74 million in revenue Executes more than: 135 arrests at ports of entry 3,179 arrests between ports of entry Seizes an average of: 2,313 pounds of narcotics in 131 narcotic seizures at our ports of entry 3,634 pounds of narcotics in 24 seizures between our ports of entry $205,576 in currency; 193 firearms; and $1.9 million in merchandise at our ports of entry 49 vehicles...

America is becoming a back alley for the world's criminals, derelicts, vagrants and terrorists. Because some in Congress are too inept and partisan to strengthen our pitiful border security and immigration laws, 20 million illegal aliens, including Arab terrorists, have waltzed into our country and escaped prosecution. And this number is rapidly growing. These noncitizens are parasites who live off the prosperity of honest, hardworking Americans, and send their tax-free income back into their native country. The terrorists who have illegally made their way into our midst are profiting from our economy, while plotting to mass murder us; these monsters...

US Customs and Border Protection officers seized over 100 tons of narcotics and apprehended more than 69,000 immigration violators at Southern California ports of entry during federal fiscal year 2004 that ended September 30. The 14,000-member National Association of Chiefs of Police reviewed the achievements of the CBP and reported them to its membership, which includes police chiefs, commanding officers and directors of security throughout the nation. CBP was formed in March 2003 under the Department of Homeland Security, unifying the operations of Customs, Immigration and Agricultural inspectors and the Border Patrol working at and between the ports of entry....

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Christopher Cox (R-CA) delivered the following remarks during today's news conference on the REAL ID Act: "Today, we're going to be considering legislation that is going to make America safer and more secure and I'm confident that we will pass it in the U.S. House of Representatives. This is indeed unfinished business from the implementation of the 9-11 Commission recommendations. "The time on the floor today will be divided between representatives of the Committee on Judiciary, the Committee on Government Reform and the Committee on Homeland Security. But make no...

WASHINGTON - Arizona could lose almost $1 billion in federal funding over 10 years for Medicaid, the government health program for the poor, under changes in the $2.57 trillion budget President Bush proposed Monday. In addition, the president's plan would pay for only 210 additional U.S. Border Patrol agents in 2006, not the 2,000 new agents authorized for next year as part of a bill passed by Congress in December that Bush signed into law. And a $305 million federal program that helps states and counties in Arizona offset the costs of keeping undocumented immigrants behind prison bars would be...

TUCSON, Ariz. - Jesus Saavedra Parra, a scraggly 23-year-old from Culiacan, Sinaloa, has had little success eluding the Border Patrol. Slouched outside a holding cell at the agency's Tucson sector substation, Saavedra struggled to recall how many times he has been caught. ''More than six times,'' he said. ''But I don't know how many.'' A run of Saavedra's fingerprints through a computer database revealed the Border Patrol had apprehended him three times in 2002, twice in 2003 and three times in 2004. Saavedra's story illustrates how one of the most commonly cited Border Patrol statistics - apprehensions - can distort...