BORDER NEWS

During the first four months of fiscal year 2002, from October 2001 through January 2002, arrests of undocumented migrants along the Mexican border dropped 45 percent from the previous year.  INS agents made only 181,497 arrests, the fewest in any quarter in 17 years.  There are a number of possible explanations, from increased security making fewer willing to attempt the trip, improved economic conditions in Mexico, to a weaker economy in the US.  Many, however, believe that the primary cause for the drop is that fewer Mexicans with jobs in the US are visiting family in Mexico, trying to avoid increased security on their return to the US.

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This week the Coast Guard rescued seven Cuban migrants just off the coast from Miami.  After rescuing the migrants, a search was begun for some people who may have gone missing, a conclusion reached because of a nearby empty raft.

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One of the Pakistani crewmen allowed to enter the US three weeks ago was arrested last week in Texas.  Ahmad Salman is being held without bond in San Antonio.  While there is no allegation that Salman or any of the missing crewmen are connected to terrorism, their disappearance was just the latest in a series of INS embarrassments.  The INS says it has good evidence that could lead to the arrest of the other three.

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Officials at the US-Mexico border have decided to stop allowing bicycle traffic to use automobile lanes, and will require them to walk their bikes through pedestrian lanes.  Officials said the change was prompted by concern about the safety of bike riders among so many cars and trucks.  The change goes into effect next Monday.  The use of bikes to cross the border skyrocketed after September 11th, because they are able to pass though much quicker than cars.  About 800 to 1,000 people cross the border on bikes at the San Ysidro port, up from about 100 to 200 before September 11th.

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On Thursday, a Mexican soldier shot and wounded a Mexican national crossing the border at the Hidalgo International Bridge in Texas.  While details are unknown at this point, the soldier tried to pull over a car carrying for Mexicans who are US permanent residents, which tried to escape.  The soldier then opened fire, wounding the passenger and damaging nine cars.

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Officials say that the use of forged documents and real documents by people not identified by those documents increase from January to February.  Despite this increase, though, the use of fraudulent documents has decreased over the past year.  During the first quarter of fiscal year 2002 (October 2001 through January 2002) the number of fraudulent documents seized dropped from 1,314 to 862.

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INS authorities are searching for four Turkish nationals who jumped ship in Norfolk, Virginia last weekend.  On March 16, four Pakistani nationals were improperly allowed to leave their ship, sparking a nationwide manhunt that has resulted in the arrest of only one of the men.  The next weekend, five Mexicans jumped ship in the same port.  None of them have been located.

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Disclaimer: This newsletter is provided as a public service and not intended to establish an attorney client relationship. Any reliance on information contained herein is taken at your own risk.