Texas state officials have shut down the offices of two notarios on allegations that they were defrauding immigrants and charging money to process immigration forms, violating a new state law, passed to prevent scam artists from exploiting the term “notary public” to the Spanish “notario publico” – a title given to experienced lawyers.

Both Martha Uresti, owner of Uresti Immigration/Notary Services, and Ruth Thomas, owner of Trámites Migratorios, deceived customers into thinking that they could legally assist migrants in obtaining US permanent residency, work permits and other immigration benefits.  The two businesses charged customers over $1000 to process documents that were either improperly filed, or never filed at all.  If convicted, the two face 6 months in jail.

The Department of Public Safety and the Attorney General’s office in Texas are asking that all victims of any immigration scam pass their complaints to the attorney general office by calling (800) 252-8011.

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Officials at the Pentagon have confirmed that smuggling rings in Latin America are attempting to smuggle al-Qaeda operatives into the US.  In a Defense Department briefing on February 13, 2004, reporters were told that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld would provide details on al-Qaeda’s Latin America connections on a future date.

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Four Mexican police officers are seeking asylum in the US after they fled under heavy gunfire.  The police officers were at the Mexican police station about two blocks south of the international crossing between Palomas and Columbus, New Mexico.  The officers were fired upon by a drug-trafficking family.

US Customs and Border Protection reported hearing a lot of gunfire coming from south of the border.  Moments later, ten people arrived at the port of entry: eight police officers and the wife and child of one of the officers.  The police officers were unarmed, having abandoned their weapons before crossing the border.  Four of the officers returned to Mexico.

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Following a weeklong outburst of political violence against Haiti’s president that has left nearly 50 people dead, the US government is preparing for a mass migrant flow from the country.  Some spokespeople US-based relief organizations said that State Department officials have asked recently what kind of services they would provide to Haitian migrants at Guantanamo.  State Department officials, however, are denying any expectations for a mass migration.