How to secure homeland if some guarding borders have turned?
OTAY MESA, Calif. -- Under the glare of the port lights, federal agents watched as the GMC Yukon approached the immigration booth. Aurora Torres, the suspected smuggler, was behind the wheel.
Weeks earlier, agents had heard her on the telephone with her contact.
"Are you going to invite me to the movies tonight?" she asked. "It's going to be four tickets."
"Right at 12," a man responded. "If I can't make it, I'll send you a 9-1-1."
He hadn't made it on that particular day, but tonight everything was going as planned.
Just after 4 a.m., the Yukon eased to a stop at inspection Lane 8 at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, a byway for travelers heading from Mexico into California. An immigration officer approached, and then admitted the Yukon into the United States.
Nothing unusual _ but for the 11 illegal immigrants sitting inside....
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http://www.kristv.com/Global/story.asp?S=5448093
2006-09-23 03:14:21 · 13 answers · asked by gokart121 6 in Politics & Government ➔ Immigration
Torres was arrested. Then agents moved in to take their final suspect into custody.
"Tickets," investigators had concluded, was code for vehicles loaded with undocumented migrants. "Right at 12" was a reference to a work schedule, the midnight to 8 a.m. shift. The clues, they believed, pointed to the secret of Torres' success.
The inspector from Lane 8 was on break when a half-dozen agents approached.
Mike Gilliland was an ex-Marine and a veteran Customs officer, but Torres allegedly knew him as something else. Her contact. The one she referred to as "una cosa segura." Translation: A sure thing.
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A dilemma confronts the nation's immigration work force, one that goes far beyond sealing borders to would-be terrorists, drug smugglers and undocumented migrants. How do you secure the homeland if some of those guarding the gates are dishonest?
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2006-09-23 03:15:40 · update #1
Um, 'garden' the topic is 'illegal immigration'. I think you were trying to reach the religion forum. Jim Bakker's a crook, he's not on the border patrol, though...
2006-09-23 03:54:50 · update #2
There is always a probability for corruption...what do we do? perhaps more surveillance at the guard stations, upsetting the scheduled assigned places for agents to work, I don't know...but he was caught and we can hope that any and all corrupt agents will be.
With the temptation of big money, huge bribes, it would be wise to consider the constant cycling of guards. That would add big uncertainty to any plans...
And so finally...set up the same punishment for the guard as for any other coyote....
2006-09-23 06:35:03 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Used to be, the people we caught were penniless peasants, mostly from Mexico. With poverty and political abuse rampant in the world, the complexion of the "illegal immigrant" changed which induced the introduction of sophisticated "people smuggling rings", patterned after and using the same tactics and routes as the drug smugglers and making even more money! With "coyotes" charging huge sums of money for smuggling services, a "money door" was opened that had never existed before to any great extent. "The lust for money is the root of all evil". Those who lust for it can be easily corrupted when in positions of authority no matter who they are or what they do.
This situation has been compounded by a society that has lost its ethnic identification and cultural heritage. We have put the fox into the chicken coop. The politicians and special interest groups have divided us so that we, as a society, may be easily manipulated.
The end of "America" as we have known it.
2006-09-23 03:47:12 · answer #2 · answered by bpflyguy1990 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Obviously everything is not Okay in Otay....
It doesn't suprise me. That border officer should be tried for treason, among any other applicable laws that he broke. Hang em high, make an example, and then remember to vote for someone that, at the very least, assures that they will try to fix these problems, with both increased border patrol, and evidently stricter back ground checks and frequent check ups on those allegedly protecting this nation.
Interesting article....hadn't heard that yet.
2006-09-23 03:32:36 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
It still amazes me how both parties in the government and the press could have just decided this was an unimportant issue and let the whole thing slide until it got where it is today.
This has to be a priority, with mandates for enforcement and public enforcement mechanisms to jump start recalcitrant portions of the government. There need to be watchers watching the officers, and enough pay that we get the right sort to begin with.
2006-09-23 03:19:50 · answer #4 · answered by DAR 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
There is corruption in almost every workplace in the world. No matter what values are the status quo, there is always somebody who will be there to challenge or water them down. How about all of those border agents that risk life and limb to stop those illegal idiots from crossing the border without proper equipment or nearly enough manpower...only to see the same people come back time after time...Why don't we ever hear their stories? I guess it isn't a good enough soundbite!!
2006-09-23 03:42:14 · answer #5 · answered by jbbrant1 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Christian bashing..
add my name to your lists people.. not as a basher, but as someone you can go after..
Christian here..
This country isn't the only one who values self greed..
There seems to be too much talking, with both sides of the political mouth. American people need to remind those in the governement, that it is We, the people.. and that the government works for us, not the other way around.
I'm not sure what's going to happen, or when it will happen, but all of us can see Americans getting more and more angry each day.. and each day, more and more of our country, our ways, being given away.. I for one have had enough..
2006-09-27 02:30:40 · answer #6 · answered by sassy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
wonder if he had the "blessing" of the white house, kennedy & mccain? Swift & sure punishment is not a deterent (the US knows nothing about that!) A few bullets to the head would stop this behavior - wouldn't take many! Rather a dead corrupt agent than a dead America as we know it!
2006-09-23 03:35:14 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
To the comment about "the christians"----every proclaimed "christian" I've ever had to deal with in my life, from room-mates, to landlords, to mortgage brokers and even a teacher, were liars, and ripped me off. Then there's Jerry Falwell, Joyce Myers, Tammy Faye and Jim, etc., etc. etc. Religiosity does NOT make one a good, decent human being. I have found the opposite to be true (in EVERY religion). How you can even use this analogy in your answer is incomprehensible to me. Start using your brain. Learn "how to think".
2006-09-23 03:50:22 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most departments in the government have some type of corruption, especially where money is in involved. From the DMV all the way to the Police dept.
2006-09-23 03:41:11 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Fraud and corruption is abundant in all phases of government; why does this surprise anyone? The answer for fixing it is not here surely. Good post, though.
2006-09-23 10:31:10 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 4⤋