Border Crossers Volunteer To Be Arrested, Hoping To Benefit From Immigration Reform

Ianus · 04-05-2013, 11:23 AM

http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/new...m-immigration/

Quote:

McALLEN, Texas – An immigration reform bill isn’t even drafted, but undocumented immigrants are already thinking it’s a done deal.

They’re thinking if they make it across the border, they’ll get amnesty.

U.S. Border Patrol said it’s at least part of the reason for the recent spike in arrests in South Texas.

At the Federal court in McAllen Texas, a city about eight miles from the Mexico border, judges see hundreds of undocumented immigrants each week. They’re brought in groups of 40 at a time, en masse hearings that take place two to three times a day.

Wearing earphones to hear the court reporter’s translation, the immigrants unanimously respond “Sí señor” or “No señor” as the judge asked them their plea.

But this is not what traditionally takes place.

Going before a judge and facing not only deportation but also jail time is the one thing that Mexican immigrants usually try to avoid, so they usually opt for “voluntary departure,” a form they sign so they can be quickly returned to Mexico without having to wait for a hearing.

But starting last month, border agents began noticing an unexpected trend — groups of immigrants crossed the border illegally but instead of trying to avoid agents, they sought them out to turn themselves in.

Why the sudden change?

Because word has spread south of the border that there’s a good chance they could get amnesty as part of a major overhaul to the U.S. immigration system now being debated in Congress.

Agents were taken aback by immigrants turning themselves in, eventually realizing that it amounted to nothing more than wishful thinking, said Paul Perez, vice-president of the border agents’ union, the National Border Patrol Council.

The agency’s official response is that the sudden spike in arrests is anecdotal and not a trend that can be corroborated. National spokesman Bill Brooks wouldn’t elaborate or talk about recent increases in apprehensions despite published reports in South Texas, including a local agency spokesman discussing the issue.

Perez said that agents are seeing about a 50 percent increase in apprehensions when compared to the same period last year — a combination of the amnesty rumor, as well as a steady flow of Central Americans still choosing South Texas as their top spot to illegally cross the border.

“We need the support of our nation’s leaders to keep their eye on border security and not simply look at it as another item on the agenda,” Perez said. “Our agents are getting swamped with work at this moment, if you cut their salary and their hours, how do they expect us to properly secure the border?”

The increase in apprehensions is tied to a shift in migration pattern that follows the increase in border enforcement which has focused on the Western side of the border, said John Paul Torres, a spokesman for the South Texas immigrant advocacy group, La Union Del Pueblo Unido.

The perceived focus on the western side of the border has driven immigrants from Mexico, Central and South America to look at the South Texas border as a way in.

While those who seek to settle in South Texas do place themselves in danger, immigrants who try to get to larger metropolitan areas place themselves in serious danger because most rely on the help of human smugglers.

Those seeking to get to northern cities must get through not just the southern border but also U.S. Border Patrol checkpoints, which smugglers circumvent by taking immigrants across long treks in the brush, resulting in dozens of immigrant deaths.

For those turning themselves in to border agents, it truly seems to be false hope — since many of them likely already have a prior deportation record, they would be automatically disqualified from getting amnesty, Torres said.

Task_1539 · 04-05-2013, 11:38 AM

hmph, probably misinformed individuals being fed lies by coyotes and wishful family members.

I know someone who returned last year during the fall after having been deported the year prior. He was planning on returning to Mexico sometime this year before summer once he raised enough money for w/e it is he was planning on doing (family financial difficulties since deportation). Now he wants to stay longer to see if he can benefit from CIR. The problem is, he thinks it'll be an amnesty. A handout. We've warned him that he'll likely be very disappointed.

aquarius88 · 04-05-2013, 11:39 AM

They're making everything WORSE!

RJD · 04-05-2013, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aquarius88

They're making everything WORSE!

this

sigh...

Pianoswithoutfaith · 04-05-2013, 12:13 PM

Yeah this sucks but people will do anything for a better future for themselves and kids

Pianoswithoutfaith · 04-05-2013, 12:20 PM

and it just not border crossing thinking its an amnesty, its the Border patrols as well

For those turning themselves in to border agents, it truly seems to be false hope — since many of them likely already have a prior deportation record, they would be automatically disqualified from getting amnesty, Torres said.

EditorInChief · 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pianoswithoutfaith

Yeah this sucks but people will do anything for a better future for themselves and kids

I agree with you on this: People will do anything for a better future for themselves and kids.

But, this same principle also applies to people who are ALREADY in the US.

People already in the US should do anything to prevent the future from becoming ruined/becoming worse for themselves and kids.

A huge population is a BAD thing for the future because of ever increasing demands for resources. Look at India and China. They are suffering from the painS of a huge population.

Pianoswithoutfaith · 04-05-2013, 12:40 PM

Yeah I am going to lobby and get NAFTA out since it only benefits Canada and the USA and is screwing other countries, maybe try and get people rally so drugs can become legal and decrease the violence in latin countries ruined by these drug wars. stuff like that

IamAman · 04-05-2013, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aquarius88

They're making everything WORSE!

It plays right in the hands of the opposition.

aquarius88 · 04-05-2013, 02:04 PM

how so?

Quote:

Originally Posted by IamAman

It plays right in the hands of the opposition.

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Border Crossers Volunteer To Be Arrested, Hoping To Benefit From Immigration Reform