By Sara A. Carter - A strict policy to arrest, prosecute and jail illegal aliens who cross into the U.S. has shown significant success in reducing crossings and crime along the Texas border, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officials said this month.
The first 45 days of Operation Streamline — a collaborative effort of local, state and federal agencies in Texas — has resulted in decreased illegal border crossings and crime since its implementation Oct. 31 compared with last year's numbers, said Laredo Border Patrol Sector chief patrol agent Carlos X. Carrillo.
"As more and more illegal aliens are prosecuted and incarcerated under Streamline-Laredo, the word is spreading quickly that illegal entry has its consequences," Mr. Carrillo said. "Those found guilty of violating this statute face penalties that can include fines and up to six months in prison."
During the first 45-day period of Operation Streamline in the Laredo sector only 2,833 illegal entries were reported, compared with last fiscal year, when 4,424 illegal entries were reported during a similar period.
The operation covers a 60-mile span along the U.S.-Mexico border at Laredo. Mr. Carrillo also noted that there was an overall reduction of 33 percent in apprehensions along the entire 171-mile Laredo border corridor.
The Laredo Police Department's crime data for Oct. 31-Dec. 15 indicates a year-to-date reduction in reported crimes of approximately 30 percent, and a 36 percent decrease in major crimes during the 45-day Streamline-Laredo reporting period.
"As a result of this partnership, the positive effects of Streamline-Laredo resonate deep within the community," Mr. Carrillo said.
Any person found guilty of illegally crossing in the Laredo sector can face a series of fines, and sentences that range from 10 days to a maximum of 180 days in jail.
Rep. John Culberson, Texas Republican, said the strict policy to arrest illegal crossers is a significant step in securing the nation's borders.
Operation Streamline will be adopted next month by law-enforcement agencies in the Border Patrol's Tucson, Ariz., sector, Mr. Culberson added. Mr. Culberson, who has publicly advocated for the strict border policy, said he hopes the operation will be adopted along the entire U.S.-Mexico border.
"I expect to see zero tolerance implemented in the Tucson sector in January, and my next target is the Brownsville Sector [in Texas]," Mr. Culberson said.
Operation Streamline II was first adopted in the Del Rio, Texas, sector in December 2005. It focused on high-traffic smuggling corridors along the 205 miles of the Rio Grande that divide the sector from Mexico. Since its implementation, the crime rate has been reduced by 76 percent and illegal border crossings are at the lowest numbers since Border Patrol began keeping records in 1972, Mr. Culberson added.
BORDER ENFORCEMENT
The following are results from Operation Streamline in the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Laredo, Texas, sector:
•Illegal entries: For the same 45-day period, the Laredo Sector reported 2,833 illegal entries in 2007 versus 4,424 illegal entries in 2006.
•Crime: A comparison of Laredo Police Department data covering Oct. 31 through Dec. 15, 2006, and the same time period this year shows an approximate 30 percent decrease in reported crimes in the community.
Source: U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Original Source