BORDER AND DEPORTATION NEWS

The Cuban government has begun prosecuting two U.S. residents on charges of smuggling Cubans to Florida, based on an incident in which one person drowned. The prosecution is seeking life in prison. The two men, who are both of Cuban origin, were carrying 14 people in a boat made for eight. The prosecution argues that the men were motivated by fees of up to $8000 for each person smuggled, and that they continued the flight from Cuba despite bad weather and a leaking gas tank. The men’s defense attorneys argued that they were merely trying to unite families separated between Cuba and Florida. Cuban leader Fidel Castro has said he hopes the trial will encourage the U.S. to take an equally firm position against smugglers.

The House of Representatives Immigration Subcommittee has subpoenaed Attorney General Janet Reno, demanding she produce records on criminal aliens. The demand came shortly after it was learned that the INS had suspected serial killer Angel Maturino Resendez in custody but let him go. The subpoena calls specifically for information the INS has on all immigrants who were deportable, who after the INS released them, went on to commit another crime.

A Thai woman from California has been convicted of harboring illegal immigrants and forcing them into involuntary servitude. Prosecutors described the woman as the common law wife of the Thai ambassador to Sweden. Sentencing will not occur until October, when she is expected to be sentenced to six to eight years. She will likely be deported from the U.S. at the end of her prison sentence.

A small town in Texas near the Mexican border, El Cenizo, has declared itself to be a "safe haven" for illegal immigrants. The town recently passed ordinances requiring all official business to be conducted in Spanish. Because of state and federal law, written ordinances will have to be passed in English, but will then be translated into Spanish. One of the new ordinances provides that any city worker who helps the U.S. Border Patrol find illegal immigrants will be fired.

A U.S. Border Patrol agent shot and killed a man in late August. The incident occurred about 30 miles east of San Diego and 14 miles north of the Mexican border. Officials say the man had been throwing rocks at Border Patrol agents, one of whom was hit in the chest and had to be taken to the hospital. The nationality of the man who was shot is not known. The shooting is the first fatal shooting by a Border Patrol agent in the San Diego sector in over a year.

Kentucky is the latest state to receive INS quick response teams. The function of quick response teams, or QRTs, is to provide an immediate INS presence in areas that have not traditionally had sufficient agents to deal with problems as they arose. The Kentucky teams will begin operation in October and will be stationed out of Bowling Green, Louisville and London, Kentucky.

After almost two years of investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, a major drug smuggling ring out of Miami International Airport was broken up. Officials arrested 58 suspects, most of whom were baggage handlers and ramp workers for American Airlines. Among those who were arrested who did not work for American was Broward County Sheriff's deputy who also worked as a part-time baggage handler, and two INS agents.

< Back | Next >

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.