(The Center Square) – In the first three months of fiscal 2023, the Arizona District Attorney’s Office filed criminal charges against approximately 1,456 aliens who illegally entered and then re-entered the United States. He has also filed 260 lawsuits against accused individuals. Smuggling illegal aliens in Arizona.
The cases are from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Department of Tucson and Yuma, Arizona, which covers the entire Arizona-Mexico border. This figure includes only US Attorney’s Office indictments and excludes CBP indictments.
The Yuma sector covers the southeastern corner of Arizona. Approximately 181,670 square miles of primarily desert land divided between California and Arizona, and 126 miles on the US-Mexico border from the Imperial Sand Dunes in California to the Yumapima County line in Arizona. The Tucson sector covers most of Arizona from the New Mexico border to the Yuma County border and covers 262 shared border miles with Mexico. both sectors There were more than 816,000 arrests and escapes in fiscal 2022, a record high.
Tucson Sector Chief John Modlin Recent testified “Most of the encounters are single adult men trying to avoid detection. Our southern smuggling ring is very well organized and resourceful,” Modlin said before Congress. He said, referring to the Mexican cartels, “Everyone who passes through the Tucson area must pay these criminal syndicates. These criminal syndicates send thousands of immigrants across the border.” We employ a variety of tactics to illegally move them.”
The Federal Attorney’s Office, working with officials from the CBP Tucson and Yuma Sector, Homeland Security Investigations, and others, prosecuted the case.
“Reducing immigration smuggling and reducing the risk to communities affected by these crimes remains a priority,” the office said. statement“Some of these indictments are directed at leaders and coordinators of smuggling organizations of non-U.S. citizens, citing Mexican cartels.” The prosecution of young drivers includes three cases filed against juvenile smugglers during this period. included.”
Law enforcement officials told Center Square in response to social media posts to pick up and transport illegal aliens along the border and drive them north to drop off points in hopes of earning thousands. said it had identified a trend of increasingly arresting young people. $1 per vehicle. If caught, they could instead be charged with multiple felonies of smuggling and sentenced to multiple years in prison.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has proposed raising the penalty for violating the state crime of smuggling people to a minimum of 10 years in prison. Some suggested a five-year prison term for smuggling charges.Thursday, Abbott Said“Illegal smuggling is sponsored and abetted by U.S. residents. A prison sentence must be imposed.”
Texas law enforcement officials and border residents told The Center Square that they support the state increasing penalties for human smuggling.
