BORDER NEWS

Nine people involved in the hostage crisis at the St. Martin Parish Jail in Louisiana during December have been indicted on state kidnapping charges that carry mandatory life sentences.  Only three of them will go to trial now and the others were returned to Cuba after the situation was resolved.  Because of the indictment, if any of the people return to the US, they could be arrested and face trial.

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Two Border Patrol agents in San Diego have been indicted on charges of conspiracy and theft of government property after allegedly stealing 7,000 in parts from agency vehicles.  According to the indictment, the two were stationed in a unit assigned to make special modifications to the agency’s sport utility vehicles.  While there, they stole seats and consoles and fenced them to an auto parts warehouse.  If convicted, they face up to 15 years in prison and fines of half a million dollars.

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Lucia Garofalo, one of the people arrested in late December on suspicion of entering the US to assist an Algerian terrorist group perpetrate a bombing in the US, has agreed to plead guilty to charges of transporting an alien into the US, and conspiracy to do the same.  If convicted she could face up to 10 years in prison, but prosecutors have already indicated their intent to recommend leniency.

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Ivan Hlinka was poised to become the first ever European-born head coach in the National Hockey League, but the INS may put a stop to that plan.  Hlinka is a Czech national and was coach of the Czech Republic hockey team that won the gold medal at the 1998 Olympic fames.  A Czech news agency has reported that Hlinka, who was due to start as an associate coach for the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday followed by a promotion to head coach at the end of the season, was told by the INS that his application for a green card has not yet been processed.  The US Embassy in Prague cannot issue him a visa until the INS approves the application.

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US officials in Hong Kong have announced their conclusion that the recent rise in the smuggling of Chinese nationals was the result of rumors of an amnesty for illegal immigrants being spread by snakeheads, the name commonly given to Chinese smugglers.  The officials also said that efforts by the US, the Hong Kong SAR government, and the Chinese mainland have done much to ease the situation.

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During three separate incidents this past Monday, Border Patrol agents found vehicles rolling uncontrolled into traffic after being abandoned by the smugglers using them.  In each incident the driver abandoned the vehicle after it was spotted by Border Patrol agents.  In two of the incidents there were still passengers in the vehicles as they rolled into traffic.  Luckily, the agents were in each case able to stop the cars with only minor damage.