Carlsbad, CA. - A collaborative effort between U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Office of Air and Marine and U.S. Border Patrol prevented a maritime smuggling attempt early this morning as 20 foreign nationals who illegally entered the country were arrested at Carlsbad State Beach.

At about 1 a.m., the San Diego Coastal Border Enforcement Team (CBET) comprised of U.S. Border Patrol agents and CBP officers were on patrol along the coastline spotted a panga boat at sea near the shores of Carlsbad State Beach.

Douglas, AZ. - U.S. Customs and Border Protection Wednesday stopped a drug smuggling attempt when they seized nearly 170 pounds of marijuana concealed inside a false floor in the bed of a pickup truck, port officials announced today.

CBP officers in Douglas, Ariz. were able to detect $1.5 million worth of marijuana hidden under this pickup truck's bed floor.

On Aug. 28, at approximately 7:45 p.m., CBP officers were screening traffic entering the U.S. from Mexico and selected a 1998 Dodge Dakota driven by a 29-year-old man for inspection. The man was identified as a U.S. citizen and resident of Douglas, Ariz.

Filipinos, Vietnamese, Cambodians, Malaysians, Indonesians and Japanese returned to their countries

Seattle, WA. - In a chartered flight that originated in Seattle on Aug. 31, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) returned 96 immigration violators to the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan and Cambodia; 66 of them had committed criminal offenses in the United States.

Hidalgo, Texas - U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Rio Grande Valley Sector seized more than $630,000 worth of marijuana from a van Thursday.

Agents from the McAllen station were on patrol near Hidalgo when they noticed a suspicious white van in the area of the floodway near 23rd Street. When agents approached the vehicle, the driver sped off south toward the Rio Grande. The agents followed the vehicle to the riverbank where it had become stuck in the thick mud. The driver had bailed out of the van and dove into the river. He was last seen swimming to Mexico. Agents discovered 11 bundles of marijuana in the van, weighing nearly 800 pounds.

Columbia, S.C. - Eight associates of the Surenos 13 gang are facing new criminal charges or removal from the United States, following a joint anti-gang enforcement action Wednesday led by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Columbia, the York County Sheriff's Office and the Rock Hill Police Department.

The operation took place in and around the York County/Rock Hill area in South Carolina.

Tucson, AZ. - Tucson Sector agents assigned to the Ajo Station seized over 1,700 pounds of marijuana followed by BORSTAR agents uncovering close to 400 pounds making a total net of 2,100 pounds in a 24-hour period with estimated value of more than $1.6 million.

While patrolling in the west desert area, agents detected vehicle tracks that drove off road from Federal Route 34. Agents followed the tracks and found a stationary vehicle covered with a tarp in the brush. Upon further inspection, agents discovered 79 bundles of marijuana weighing more than 1,700 pounds. The vehicle, a White Ford F-250 Pick-Up Truck, had been reported stolen. The stolen vehicle was turned over to Tohono O’odham Police Department and the marijuana seized was transported to the Ajo Border Patrol Station for processing.

Hidalgo, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers working at the Hidalgo International Bridge took custody of an alleged murder suspect wanted by the McAllen, Texas Police Department early this morning.

On Aug. 31, CBP officers working at the Hidalgo International Bridge came in contact with a northbound male traveler. While making contact with federal officers, the man identified himself as Victor Trevino, a U.S. citizen, age 35 from Pharr, Texas and further identified himself as a murder suspect, wanted by the McAllen, Texas Police Department. Trevino was taken into custody and a check of a national database confirmed that Trevino was in fact wanted by the McAllen Police Department for an alleged charge of murder a first-degree felony, attempted murder, a second-degree felony and two counts of child endangerment, both fourth-degree felonies. After his arrest, Trevino was transferred to the custody of the McAllen Police Department.

La Gloria, Texas — U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Rio Grande City Station apprehended a group of illegal aliens who were backpacking marijuana.

Monday at about 8:30 a.m., agents began tracking fresh foot sign from a group of people leading north from FM-755, east of La Gloria. The agents tracked the group for about 13 miles before encountering the individuals resting in the brush. The group attempted to flee;

On August 30, U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Rio Grande City Station apprehended a group of illegal aliens backpacking marijuana worth more than $50,000 in brush country north of 755, east of La Gloria, TX.

Brownsville, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Gateway International Bridge discovered cocaine valued at approximately $371,200 concealed within a Dodge Durango.

New Orleans, LA. - A man wanted for a murder in Mexico in 2004 was deported on Thursday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers.

Javier Collazo-Medrano, 41, a Mexican national, was turned over to Mexican authorities in El Paso, Texas, via an ICE chartered aircraft.

Yuma, AZ. – U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Yuma Station arrested an illegal alien with an extensive criminal history and who is wanted for murder in Portland, Oregon.

At about 12 a.m., Border Patrol agents discovered footprints of four subjects near County 17th Street who appeared to have crossed the international boundary illegally. After tracking the footprints, agents arrested two of the individuals who were illegally in the United States. The individuals were taken to the Yuma Station for processing. Through fingerprint checks, it was discovered that Isreal Torres-Medina had a warrant for his arrest for murder in Portland, Ore. He also had a warrant for flight to avoid apprehension from the U.S. Marshal’s Service.

Miami, Fl. - A local woman was sentenced on Friday to 15 months in prison for her role in student visa fraud. This ultimately became U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) largest-ever student visa fraud investigation netting 116 administrative arrests of student visa violators.

Lydia Menocal, 58, from Miami was also ordered to serve two years of supervised release after she completes her sentence, pay a $5,000 fine and forfeit around $600,000 in money and property to the United States.

NEW YORK - Agents from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Homeland Security Investigations in New York arrested 17 individuals for their role in a narcotics trafficking ring operating in Long Island.

The complaint was unsealed on Tuesday charging 17 members of a criminal organization based in Suffolk County and the Bronx with conspiracy to distribute powder cocaine and marijuana, primarily on Long Island. The complaint was announced by the following agency heads: James T. Hayes Jr., special agent-in-charge of ICE-HSI in New York; Preet Bharara, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Richard Dormer, commissioner of the Suffolk County Police; and John P. Melville, acting superintendent of the New York State Police (NYSP).

San Diego, CA. - The crew of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) marine interdiction vessel stopped a human smuggling attempt off the coast of San Diego netting seven illegal aliens on Sunday afternoon.

Boat seized by CBP that was hauling seven illegal aliens from Mexico.

A CBP maritime crew comprised of CBP marine interdiction agents and CBP officers, were on routine patrol about three miles off the coast of Point Loma at around 5 p.m., when they spotted a vessel of interest and proceeded to investigate.

G. Alan Ferguson, Executive Assistant to the Chairman
National Association of Former Border Patrol Officers

Brunswick, GA - Recently, the union representing Border Patrol Agents joined the one representing ICE Agents in stating they have no confidence in the current DHS & ICE upper management. Now an association of retired Border Patrol Chiefs & Agents has stated their support of the two union’s positions.

The Nat’l. Association of Former Border Patrol Officers, or NAFBPO (www.nafbpo.org) strongly believes that with illegal aliens entrenched in every single state of our nation, interior enforcement of our immigration laws is woefully lacking. This has been caused by a lack of resources, and continues to worsen under faulty operational policies and a non-willingness by upper management to enforce existing immigration laws.

CHICAGO - In the largest operation of its kind ever carried out throughout the Midwest, 370 convicted criminal aliens and immigration fugitives have been arrested following a three-day targeted enforcement operation by agents from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).

PHOENIX - A total of 102 individuals with ties to 19 different street gangs are facing criminal charges or deportation following a six-day, multi-agency enforcement action in Phoenix and Yuma, Ariz. spearheaded by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

The arrests were made as part of Operation Community Shield, an ongoing initiative by ICE-HSI's National Gang Unit in which the agency uses its powerful immigration and customs authorities in a coordinated strategy to attack and dismantle criminal street gangs across the country. As part of the initiative, ICE partners with other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to target the significant public safety threat posed by transnational gangs.

Winterhaven, CA. – U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Interstate 8 checkpoint seized a large quantity of liquid methamphetamine Monday with an estimated street value of more than $500,000.

Pine Valley, CA. - Last weekend, U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested a 27-year-old man for attempting to smuggle a half-million dollar cocaine shipment through the checkpoint located on Interstate 8 near Pine Valley.

At 8:45 a.m. last Saturday, agents encountered the man, a resident of San Luis, Ariz., as he arrived to the checkpoint driving a Plymouth Voyager minivan. During the inspection, the agents became suspicious of the man’s nervous actions, prompting them to direct the vehicle to a secondary inspection.

Cincinnati - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the Cincinnati DHL express consignment operation seized more than 52 pounds of marijuana last week. While the seizure of marijuana being smuggled into the country is nothing new to these officers, the method of concealment was something they had never seen before.

While conducting enforcement operations at the DHL facility in Cincinnati, CBP officers discovered over 52 pounds of marijuana hidden in a tombstone.

“Why would someone ship a tombstone?” was the first thought of the officers. CBP narcotics detection dog “Rouge” alerted aggressively to the parcel and an x-ray examination revealed anomalies which resulted in the discovery of packages of marijuana.

PITTSBURGH - A citizen of Mexico has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a criminal charge of violating federal immigration laws. On August 17, the one count indictment was announced and named Victor Manuel Gonzalez Martinez, a/k/a Victor Gonzalez, 28, of Mexico as the sole defendant.

Arrests part of ICE's national anti-gang effort -- Operation Community Shield

LAS VEGAS - A total of 35 individuals with ties to more than a dozen different street gangs are facing criminal charges or deportation following a three-day, multi-agency enforcement action in the Las Vegas area spearheaded by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

The arrests were made as part of Operation Community Shield, an ongoing initiative by ICE-HSI's National Gang Unit in which the agency uses its powerful immigration and customs authorities in a coordinated strategy to attack and dismantle criminal street gangs across the country. As part of the initiative, ICE partners with other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to target the significant public safety threat posed by transnational gangs.

Wellton, AZ. — U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Yuma Sector seized more than half a ton of marijuana abandoned in the desert west of the Gila Mountains on Friday.

Border Patrol agents assigned to the Wellton station were patrolling near the border when they discovered tire tracks crossing into the United States. Agents followed the vehicle’s tire tracks 100 yards north of the International Boundary fence and found an abandoned white 2008 Ford F-250. Clearly visible in the bed and passenger compartment of the truck were multiple bundles of marijuana wrapped in packing tape.

Blythe, CA. — U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Yuma Sector seized more than $1 million dollars in heroin at a Border Patrol checkpoint on Highway 95, north of Yuma on Thursday.

Border Patrol agents assigned to the Blythe station encountered an 18-year-old woman driving a convertible at the primary inspection area of the checkpoint. A canine team conducted a cursory inspection and alerted to the vehicle. Agents investigated and discovered a false compartment in the vehicle that contained 11 bundles of heroin.

Kansas City, Mo. - A man from Uzbekistan pleaded guilty in federal court on Thursday to his role in a criminal enterprise involving illegal aliens working in 14 states, including employees at hotels in the Kansas City, Mo., area and in Branson, Mo. This plea was announced by Beth Phillips, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.

WICHITA, KS. - A second illegal alien has been indicted for document fraud after trying to gain access to McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita. The charges resulted from an investigation conducted by the Air Force Security Police at McConnell and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Lorenzo Mondragon-Sanchez, 38, a Mexican national, tried to enter the base Aug. 11 as part of a work crew for Djon Construction Co., a subcontractor of Lakeshore Engineering Services Inc., which has building projects underway on the base.

McAllen, Texas — U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the McAllen station in coordination with the McAllen Police Department and the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office arrested a man wanted for murder.

On Wednesday, agents were called to the Embassy Suites Hotel parking lot by McAllen police officers in reference to a man claiming to be a Mexican national illegally in the United States. The man was transported to the McAllen Border Patrol station where his fingerprints and photographs were submitted into a law enforcement database for analysis. The checks indicated that the man had an extensive criminal history with outstanding warrants, one of which was for murder, issued by the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office. Once agents told the man they had discovered the warrants, he admitted to being a United States citizen. The Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office was contacted and assumed custody of the subject.

Presidio, Texas - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the Presidio port of entry arrested a man who has been living illegally in the United States for 23 years. The man was apprehended Sunday after attempting to enter the U.S. from Mexico.

The arrest was made at approximately 10 pm Sunday when 44-year-old Gustavo Hernandez Pena applied for entry at the Presidio international crossing. The subject presented a legal permanent resident card (LPR) in the name of another individual. CBP officers queried the document and found that the person named on the LPR card had recently been deported. CBP officers continued their examination and learned that Gustavo Hernandez Pena had used another person’s birth certificate and work documents to establish LPR status 23 years ago. CBP officers arrested the man for immigration violations (8 USC 1325) and booked him into the Brewster County Jail. Gustavo Hernandez Pena was living in Iowa before he was arrested Sunday.

by Americans for Legal Immigration PAC

America's third largest national organization, focused on fighting against Amnesty and illegal immigration, is announcing that 22 states now have lawmakers pushing versions of Arizona's illegal immigration crackdown bill SB 1070 following announcements by GOP lawmakers in Colorado and Alabama.

Americans for Legal Immigration PAC's activists supported the passage of the new Arizona law and have helped pass other immigration enforcement measures in many states.

11 Cop Killers Held in Strict Special Management Unit

Phoenix, AZ - Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio reports that his maximum security county jail located in downtown Phoenix is home to a record number 11 suspects who are being held on charges of murdering a law enforcement officer.

The 11 cop killers in the Sheriff’s jails are for the murders of Chandler Police Officer Carlos Ledesma, Glendale Police Officer Anthony Holly, phoenix Police Officer Travis Murphy, Gilbert Police Lieutenant Eric Shuhandler, and Phoenix Police Officer George Cortez..