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  4. CBP Officers at Texas Port of Entry Detect 27 Violations of Immigration Law over Busy Thanksgiving Weekend

CBP Officers at Texas Port of Entry Detect 27 Violations of Immigration Law over Busy Thanksgiving Weekend

Release Date
Mon, 11/26/2012

Laredo, Texas - Faced with a steady onslaught of Black Friday and Thanksgiving weekend traffic, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers maintained their vigilance and uncovered more than 27 alleged violations of immigration law over a 72-hour period.

One of the more notable cases occurred on Saturday, Nov. 24 at Gateway to the Americas Bridge. A CBP officer referred a 2001 Ford Explorer driven by a 25-year-old female U.S. citizen from Dallas for a secondary examination. Her passengers, including a 24-year-old female and children ages seven and five, all presented U.S. birth certificates and the driver claimed the child as her own, plus a niece. During secondary examination, CBP officers discovered that the 24-year-old woman and the two children were Mexican citizens with no documents to legally enter or reside in the United States. CBP officers processed the driver for alleged violation of immigration law and the 24-year-old woman and the two children, which were actually hers, were returned to Mexico. The vehicle was seized by CBP.

In another case, CBP officers also on Saturday, at Lincoln-Juarez Bridge, discovered a bus passenger with an allegedly counterfeit entry document. While processing arriving bus passengers, CBP officers encountered a 39-year-old woman from Parras, Coahuila, Mexico who presented a Mexican passport with a stamp conferring legal permanent resident status, known as an ADIT stamp. CBP officers referred the woman to secondary for additional screening. During the examination, CBP officers discovered that the stamp was allegedly counterfeit and the woman actually is a Mexican citizen with no legal documents to enter or reside in the United States. The woman was taken into custody by CBP pending a magistrate court appearance and processed for alleged violation of immigration law.

"Our frontline officers utilized their training and experience amid heavy holiday traffic and their skills paid off with the detection of a significant amount of immigration law violations," said Port Director Sidney Aki.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.
Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021