Beginning October 1, 2002, Mexican citizens using Border Crossing Cards to enter the US will be required to possess cards containing biometric information. Over the past year, the INS has been encouraging people to apply for these cards, and has issued more than five million of them. Those people who seek to enter the US after October 1 and do not have the new BCC will be required to also present a valid passport along with their old BCC.
*********
According to a new study, a growing number of women and children are attempted to enter the US, primarily to be reunited with male members of the family who are already in the US. Experts say there are a number of reasons for this trend, including heightened border enforcement that has forced men who successfully make it to the US to remain here, for fear they will not be able to reenter. Since the INS began tracking undocumented entrants by gender in 1989, the number of women has steadily increased, reaching a peak of 220,000 apprehensions in 2000. Since last October, agents have apprehended about 50,000 women and nearly 30,000 children.
*********
Border Patrol agents recently rescued an elderly couple that had been kidnapped by suspected immigrant smugglers. According to agents, two men offered to do odd jobs for the Arizona couple, and after completing the work, assaulted the couple and stole their truck. They ordered the couple to drive them to pick up a group of undocumented immigrants, and afterwards the vehicle passed an agent. Noticing the nervousness of those in the truck, the agent began following the truck, which eventually stopped. One of the suspected smugglers fled and was not located, but the other, along with the migrants, was apprehended.
*********
Coast Guard and Border Patrol officials recently rescued seven Chinese men on a cargo ship in the port at Long Beach, California. Officials assume the men paid to be smuggled into the US, but do not yet know any details.
*********
Five more people were recently indicted on charges related to a fatal immigrant smuggling effort this summer. Two people died after spending more than ten hours in an unventilated tractor while being driven across Texas. A total of 14 people have now been indicted, on a range of charges including racketeering and murder.
*********
Border Patrol agents recently rescued an undocumented immigrant from drowning in a canal near El Paso, Texas. An agent was driving along the canal when he noticed the migrant and called other agents. After the rescue, agents determined that the migrant had a number of criminal convictions in the US and had been deported to Mexico on a number of occasions.
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. The information provided in this article has not been updated since its original posting and you should not rely on it until you consult counsel to determine if the content is still valid. We keep older articles online because it helps in the understanding of the development of immigration law.