INS Anti-Smuggling Mission prior to 911
John W. Slagle
April 22, 2006
Survey of INS's Anti-Smuggling Units
Report Number I-2001-003
March 2001
INTRODUCTION
Background
Alien smuggling, an activity carried on by criminal organizations worldwide, constitutes a multi-billion dollar illicit business. In recent years, the number of alien smuggling organizations and the sophistication of those organizations has increased dramatically. The United States faces alien smuggling on several fronts. Smuggling occurs in high volumes along the Mexican border and increasingly along the Canadian border. There is increased traffic in maritime smuggling from the Caribbean to south Florida, and large vessels of migrants smuggled from China have arrived on both the west coast and the east coast in recent years. According to a report issued by the United States General Accounting Office (GAO), "INS data indicate that the number of smuggled aliens apprehended attempting to enter the United States increased nearly 80 percent over 2 years, from about 138,000 in fiscal year 1997 to about 247,000 in fiscal year 1999."
Newspaper articles nationwide attest to the prevalence of alien smuggling activities. Here are some examples of recent news items:
Border Patrol agents in New Mexico stopped a rental truck packed with 130 undocumented immigrants, one of the largest groups of illegal immigrants found in a single vehicle. The immigrants were from El Salvador, Ecuador, Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico. Each had paid $800 to $2,000 for a place in the truck. (The Arizona Republic, September 27, 2000)
Prosecutors charged a New York immigration attorney with helping to run a smuggling ring. The attorney allegedly received as much as $13 million in fees for helping to transport as many as 7,000 illegal immigrants from mainland China to the United States. (Washington Post, September 21, 2000)
On May 22, 2000, Border Patrol agents responding to an anonymous tip found an abandoned, detached semi-trailer filled with 41 undocumented immigrants in downtown El Paso, Texas. The immigrants, who were hidden among boxes of second-hand clothing and had no food or water, were from China, Mexico, and Central American countries. In January, two other trailers had been found. One of the trailers contained 44 undocumented immigrants and the other contained 21. (El Paso Times, May 23, 2000)
In a previous inspection report, we stated that Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) "intelligence officials told us that some organized smuggling rings are switching from drug smuggling to alien smuggling because the penalties if they get caught with illegal aliens will not be as severe as the penalties would be for drug trafficking." Congress has considered legislation to address this matter. On October 3, 2000, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to amend federal sentencing guidelines for convicted alien smugglers, doubling the minimum term of imprisonment and doubling the minimum fines. The Senate sponsored a similar bill.
"We face a formidable foe in the fight against alien smuggling. This eight-billion-dollar-a-year, global enterprise is run by sophisticated criminal syndicates that are well financed and well equipped."
Commissioner, Immigration and Naturalization Service July 3, 2000
Recognizing the increasing volume and sophistication of alien smuggling operations, INS issued a national anti-smuggling strategy in 1997. That strategy was developed by a working group that included representatives from several INS divisions: Border Patrol, Investigations, Intelligence, International Affairs, and Asset Forfeiture. The objective of the anti-smuggling strategy is:
". . . to disrupt the means and methods which facilitate alien smuggling utilizing traditional and non-traditional enforcement efforts. Overseas, sector and district enforcement components have the responsibility to disrupt smuggling organizations in source and transit countries, deter the illegal entry of individuals at the border and at ports of entry, and to identify, investigate and prosecute smuggling organizations domestically and internationally."
INS's anti-smuggling strategy involves multiple components-international enforcement and intelligence, border enforcement, and interior enforcement. Anti-smuggling units (ASUs) are integral components in the implementation of the anti-smuggling strategy. There are approximately 35 ASUs nationwide. ASUs exist throughout the continental United States, as well as in Honolulu and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Some ASUs are located in Border Patrol Sectors and others are part of district office Investigations divisions. The Border Patrol ASUs are located primarily along the southwest border, with additional ASUs in New Orleans and Miami, as well as two on the Canadian border-in Blaine Sector and Swanton Sector. ASUs in the districts have more diverse locations, including the southwest border, the interior, and large cities, such as Chicago and New York, that are often final destinations for smuggled aliens.
ASUs are staffed by criminal investigators (Special Agents) and support staff. The number of agents per ASU varies, ranging from 1 to 29.
Nationwide there are approximately 270 ASU agents. In fiscal year (FY) 1999, agents from the ASUs arrested 2,388 smugglers and 28,601 smuggled aliens. Source USDOJ GAO...
Very little has changed in the years prior to 911 and after regarding the very serious issue of international human trafficking. Perhaps Anti-Smuggling Operations today is considered offensive to law-makers as well as law-breakers.
Report Number I-2001-003
March 2001
INTRODUCTION
Background
Alien smuggling, an activity carried on by criminal organizations worldwide, constitutes a multi-billion dollar illicit business. In recent years, the number of alien smuggling organizations and the sophistication of those organizations has increased dramatically. The United States faces alien smuggling on several fronts. Smuggling occurs in high volumes along the Mexican border and increasingly along the Canadian border. There is increased traffic in maritime smuggling from the Caribbean to south Florida, and large vessels of migrants smuggled from China have arrived on both the west coast and the east coast in recent years. According to a report issued by the United States General Accounting Office (GAO), "INS data indicate that the number of smuggled aliens apprehended attempting to enter the United States increased nearly 80 percent over 2 years, from about 138,000 in fiscal year 1997 to about 247,000 in fiscal year 1999."
Newspaper articles nationwide attest to the prevalence of alien smuggling activities. Here are some examples of recent news items:
Border Patrol agents in New Mexico stopped a rental truck packed with 130 undocumented immigrants, one of the largest groups of illegal immigrants found in a single vehicle. The immigrants were from El Salvador, Ecuador, Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico. Each had paid $800 to $2,000 for a place in the truck. (The Arizona Republic, September 27, 2000)
Prosecutors charged a New York immigration attorney with helping to run a smuggling ring. The attorney allegedly received as much as $13 million in fees for helping to transport as many as 7,000 illegal immigrants from mainland China to the United States. (Washington Post, September 21, 2000)
On May 22, 2000, Border Patrol agents responding to an anonymous tip found an abandoned, detached semi-trailer filled with 41 undocumented immigrants in downtown El Paso, Texas. The immigrants, who were hidden among boxes of second-hand clothing and had no food or water, were from China, Mexico, and Central American countries. In January, two other trailers had been found. One of the trailers contained 44 undocumented immigrants and the other contained 21. (El Paso Times, May 23, 2000)
In a previous inspection report, we stated that Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) "intelligence officials told us that some organized smuggling rings are switching from drug smuggling to alien smuggling because the penalties if they get caught with illegal aliens will not be as severe as the penalties would be for drug trafficking." Congress has considered legislation to address this matter. On October 3, 2000, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to amend federal sentencing guidelines for convicted alien smugglers, doubling the minimum term of imprisonment and doubling the minimum fines. The Senate sponsored a similar bill.
"We face a formidable foe in the fight against alien smuggling. This eight-billion-dollar-a-year, global enterprise is run by sophisticated criminal syndicates that are well financed and well equipped."
Commissioner, Immigration and Naturalization Service July 3, 2000
Recognizing the increasing volume and sophistication of alien smuggling operations, INS issued a national anti-smuggling strategy in 1997. That strategy was developed by a working group that included representatives from several INS divisions: Border Patrol, Investigations, Intelligence, International Affairs, and Asset Forfeiture. The objective of the anti-smuggling strategy is:
". . . to disrupt the means and methods which facilitate alien smuggling utilizing traditional and non-traditional enforcement efforts. Overseas, sector and district enforcement components have the responsibility to disrupt smuggling organizations in source and transit countries, deter the illegal entry of individuals at the border and at ports of entry, and to identify, investigate and prosecute smuggling organizations domestically and internationally."
INS's anti-smuggling strategy involves multiple components-international enforcement and intelligence, border enforcement, and interior enforcement. Anti-smuggling units (ASUs) are integral components in the implementation of the anti-smuggling strategy. There are approximately 35 ASUs nationwide. ASUs exist throughout the continental United States, as well as in Honolulu and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Some ASUs are located in Border Patrol Sectors and others are part of district office Investigations divisions. The Border Patrol ASUs are located primarily along the southwest border, with additional ASUs in New Orleans and Miami, as well as two on the Canadian border-in Blaine Sector and Swanton Sector. ASUs in the districts have more diverse locations, including the southwest border, the interior, and large cities, such as Chicago and New York, that are often final destinations for smuggled aliens.
ASUs are staffed by criminal investigators (Special Agents) and support staff. The number of agents per ASU varies, ranging from 1 to 29.
Nationwide there are approximately 270 ASU agents. In fiscal year (FY) 1999, agents from the ASUs arrested 2,388 smugglers and 28,601 smuggled aliens. Source USDOJ GAO...
Very little has changed in the years prior to 911 and after regarding the very serious issue of international human trafficking. Perhaps Anti-Smuggling Operations today is considered offensive to law-makers as well as law-breakers.
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