The mayor of Douglas, Arizona, Ray Borane, has asked Attorney General Janet Reno to deputize local law enforcement officials, thus allowing them to deal with illegal immigration. A provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act allows such a move when there a "urgent circumstances requiring an immediate federal response." Borane says that while he does not expect Reno to grant his request, he maintains that the situation in Douglas meets the requirements of the federal law, adding that illegal immigration in the area "has had a devastating impact on Douglas and surrounding communities. The city is also considering filing a lawsuit against the federal government to recoup funds it expends in dealing with illegal immigration.

An internal report of the Border Patrol obtained by the Associated Press admits that an agent fired a pellet gun at a raft carrying three migrants across the All-American Canal. The shot caused the raft to capsize. Only two of the rafters were seen on shore following the incident, and searches have not yet discovered the third. The agent, whose name was not available, has been placed on administrative leave. T.J. Bondurant, an investigator with the Department of Justice involved with the case, worries that the rapid growth of the Border Patrol has both decreased training and made it more difficult to investigate claims of misbehavior.

A detainee at the INS detention center in San Pedro, California was killed during an escape attempt. He tried to escape by hiding beneath a bus carrying detainees to Los Angeles for court hearings. Officials believe he was accidentally run over as the bus began to move. The death prompted at lockdown at the detention center, which houses 600 people awaiting deportation.

A routine traffic stop in Missouri has led to the break up of a fraudulent document ring. Searching a van after stopping it for erratic driving, officers found 20,000 Social Security cards and 14,000 Resident Alien cards. The value of the documents found is estimated to be $2.5 million.

Violence against people attempting to illegally cross into the U.S. is on the rise, according to officials from both the U.S. and Mexico. Along with increasing reports of robbery, more and more women are reporting having been raped. Officials say one of the reasons for the increase is the tighter border security in cities, forcing immigrants into deserted areas where they often fall prey to bandits. The Mexican consul in Nogales has suggested increased patrols by U.S. police and Grupo Beta, a Mexican police force entrusted with ensuring the safety of northbound migrants.

Judge Richard Matsch, who gained national attention as judge in the trial of Timothy McVeigh, threw out a plea agreement offered to an employer of undocumented workers. The government sought a sentence of 12-18 months and a $350,000 fine. The total possible punishment for the six offenses to which the employer pled guilty is 60 years and $1.5 million. In throwing out the agreement, Matsch criticized the government for its willingness to deal so lightly with an employer who is encouraging illegal immigration. Sentencing will be at the end of July.

The U.S. Border Patrol has started a toll-free 800 number for residents in Arizona to report suspected illegal immigrants. The agency does not expect it to be a long-term solution, but hopes the additional resource will improve response times and community involvement. The hotline may also be used to report medical emergencies, a situation that will doubtless become more important as the hot summer months approach.

Federal authorities in San Diego have broken up a counterfeit document ring alleged to have supplied thousands of illegal immigrants across the nation with fraudulent papers. During the raid of a home north of San Diego, agents seized 9,200 documents, a scanner, and a color copy machine. The operation was unusual in that each false document was not produced individually, rather, templates were being produced and then the individual information was filled in, making the documents look more authentic.

According to officials, illegal immigration through New Mexico is on the rise. Thus far during fiscal year 1999 (which began in October of 1998) over 1,000 apprehensions have been made. During all of fiscal year 1998, only 800 arrests were made. Few of the arrests are made near the border, leaving officials with the belief that the migrants are entering through another state and then being taken into New Mexico to work.

The captain and chief mechanic of a cargo ship have each been sentenced to prison for smuggling immigrants into the U.S. Each was sentenced to the minimum term and was not ordered to pay a fine. Chinese nationals paid $40,000 each to be smuggled, which involved being flown and boated around the world. The immigrants have been released on bail pending their asylum hearing.

Responding to pressure from Congress, the INS is giving new attention to the U.S.-Canada border. As part of the plan to begin tracking all arrivals and departures in the U.S. the northern border is receiving many new high-tech devices designed to improve border security and speed the process of crossing for those entering legally. According to government statistics, Canadians are the fourth largest group living illegally in the U.S., with 140,000 Canadians illegally in the U.S.

During April, the Arizona segment of the Border Patrol apprehended over 47,000 undocumented immigrants crossing from Mexico, down from the March total of over 65,500. During April of 1998 the number apprehended was about 38,600. The increase in the numbers in 1999 over 1998 is most likely due to conditions in Central America following Hurricane Mitch in October of 1998.

A routine traffic stop in Missouri led to the discovery of fourteen undocumented Hispanics. The sheriff’s deputy who made the stop contacted the INS, which was unable to take custody of the men because they had no way to transport them, nor anywhere to house them.

Fifty-four people suspected of working without authorization are being held following a raid of a landscaping company in Baltimore. They were being paid less than the regional prevailing wage for such work, and at least three of the workers were minors. This was the largest number of illegal immigrants apprehended at one time in Maryland in many years.

The Office of the Inspector General, a division of the Justice Department charged with maintaining ethical standards within the agencies of the Department, is investigating claims that a Border Patrol agent assaulted and seriously wounded a 16 year old boy attempting to make an illegal entry. Antonio Gomez, a Guatemalan national, claims he was chased across the desert after the car he was being transported in was stopped. He says that when he was caught, the agent began kicking him, resulting in a broken leg. Spokespeople for the Border Patrol have yet to make an official comment on the incident.