Alien Smuggling

Alien smuggling used to be considered a minor issue within the ranks of the Border Patrol. This mentality has changed since smuggling operations have become a lucrative cash business. Smugglers have become more daring and will place the lives of their "illegal cargo" in jeopardy in order to avoid apprehension. People are abandoned in the desert, locked in overcrowded box cars during the hot summer months. People are literally stacked on top of each other to maximize the room of vans, rental vehicles and the beds of pickup trucks. Recently, fourty-three illegal aliens were pulled from a standard sized van. Encounters such as this are becoming common place.

The driver/smuggler of this van never touched the brakes before hitting this irrigation ditch. He fled into the night and left twenty-one undocumented aliens to care for themselves. Fourteen of them went to the hospital (three were in critical condition). The aliens still tried to protect the driver by refusing to admit they were to pay money for their trip.

Aliens can be charged as a much as fifty dollars for a thirty minute ride. Three to six hundred dollars is the norm for a trip from Southern border to a staging area that is within the interior of the United States (Phoenix, AZ and Albuquerque, NM). A trip from the border to the interior of the United States can net a greedy "coyote" (smuggler) over two thousand dollars for a typical person from Mexico. A typical smuggling attempt will average between eight to twelve persons. Groups of twenty or thirty smuggled aliens are common with the use of vans. Rental vehicles (U-hauls), RV's and tractor trailer rigs are being used to increase the "coyotes" profits. This increases the risk of death for the poor soul who choses to use this means as a manner of entry into the United States.

The safety of the undocumented alien is not considered when compared to the lure of the easy dollar. This incident had sixty nine undocumented aliens crammed into a van for a trip to Phoenix. A run like this can net the smuggler over $55,000. The risks are greater for the undocumented alien who endure horrid conditions for hundreds of miles without any consideration for their well being. Would you believe these aliens still tried to claim they purchased the vehicle in a cooperative effort to enter the United States illegally?

This picture depicts the variety of vehicles encountered by Border Patrol agents. Most people think of older model cars being used primarily by the alien smugglers to bring their contraband into the United States. Stolen, brand new, and rented vehicles are encountered on a daily basis. A stored vehicle will be picked up in a few days and will be put back into service by the smuggler. The agents attempt to seize the vehicles to ensure they can not be used again.

The laws regarding the governments ability to seize property changed in 2001. The changes severely hampered the abilities of the Border Patrol to fight the organizations that are smuggling aliens along the Southern Border. Agents used to be able to seize the vehicles being used to tranpsort the undocumented aliens. Many of the oler and unsafe vehicles could be destroyed and which is a small victory for the Border Patrol and helps to make the roadways safer for all. These vehicles are now being placed in storage, or often left on the side of the road at the request of the driver or people within the vehicle.

In Southern Arizona, the smugglers are constantly changing tactics to ensure a higher success rate to make it through the Border Patrol's area. The smugglers know that the agents are spread thin so they have tried to "shotgun" vehicles through selected areas. Three to four vehicles will push through at the same time knowing an agent can only stop one of them. Some drivers will leave the vehicle in gear while they jump out and run. They know the agent will try to keep the vehicle from getting out of control before someone gets hurt. The four vehicles pictured were stopped within one mile of each other as they tried to circumvent the known routes. Cooperation between agencies is paramount in combatting the crime of transporting human cargo for illicit profit.

Agents spend a lot of time and effort trying to make a case against an alien smuggler. The Mexican culture creates an artificial image that the smuggler is a good person and the immigration officer is to be hated and feared. The aliens are usually coached by the smuggler to claim a cooperative purchase of the vehicle and it takes many hours and relentless questioning by skilled interviewers (usually the field agent) to determine the truth. The interview process can often take up to six hours and the agents must then prepare the case to be presented to a United States Attorney for prosecution. An agent may work a sixteen hour day to successfully present a case for prosecution.

The Casa Grande station works with two separate court systems due it's geopraphical boundaries. Apprehensions made along the Southern Border (Pima County) will be presented in Tucson, Arizona. The Sector has a very strong prosecution program and they continually break records for the number of cases being presented on a yearly basis. Cooperation with the United States Attorney Office is high as a result of the quality of the cases being presented. Cases encountered in Pinal County will be presented in Phoenix, Arizona and it is extremely difficult to get a prosecution accepted. Agents are continually frustrated with the declinations that routinely happen on good smuggling or criminal alien cases.

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