Thread: Truck drivers smuggling drugs,people will lose DLs

Truck drivers smuggling drugs, people will lose drivers' licenses
By Brandi Grissom / Austin Bureau
Article Launched: 06/19/2008 11:14:34 AM MDT


Carlos Carrillo, foreground, chief U.S Border Patrol Agent, Laredo sector, speaks during a news conference Thursday, June 19, 2008, in Austin, Texas. Gov. Rick Perry, left, joined with U.S. Border Patrol sector chiefs and the Texas Department of Public Safety to announce a joint federal-state law enforcement effort that cracks down on commercial vehicle operators who knowing smuggle across the state's border with Mexico. (AP Photo/Harry Cabluck) AUSTIN -- Truck drivers convicted of smuggling drugs or people into Texas will lose their commercial drivers' licenses in a new border security initiative Gov. Rick Perry announced today.
"Mexican crime syndicates have changed their tactics," Perry said. "They're losing money. They're looking for new loopholes to exploit, and their latest target are truckers."

Standing with U.S. Border Patrol sector chiefs from Texas, Perry said that cartels have started coercing commercial truck drivers into hauling narcotics and humans. Starting now, he said, Texas will aggressively pursue drivers who fall prey to that temptation and permanently revoke their commercial drivers' licenses.

Already this year, Perry said, Border Patrol agents have caught 423 tractor trailers with more than 1,800 undocumented immigrants and more than 112,000 pounds of drugs.

"Border security is a serious issue, and we must enforce the appropriate consequences on those who knowingly violate our laws and hinder our efforts to protect our citizens," he said.







http://www.elpasotimes.com/ci_9635621

Truck drivers convicted of smuggling drugs or people into Texas will lose their commercial drivers' licenses in a new border security initiative Gov. Rick Perry announced today.
"Mexican crime syndicates have changed their tactics," Perry said. "They're losing money. They're looking for new loopholes to exploit, and their latest target are truckers."

Standing with U.S. Border Patrol sector chiefs from Texas, Perry said that cartels have started coercing commercial truck drivers into hauling narcotics and humans. Starting now, he said, Texas will aggressively pursue drivers who fall prey to that temptation and permanently revoke their commercial drivers' licenses.

They need to be imprisoned and lose their commercial and non-commercial driver's license in ALL states.

The mexican trucking company who employed a trucker who is caught smuggling people or drugs should be banned from ever entering this country again. Why does our government refuse to get tough with this third-world rogue nation??

Mexico is not doing us any favors by allowing their trucks to enter this country!

So much for Bush's Mexican Truck Pilot program. How many of us knew this would happen, and it didn't take long, did it?

Originally Posted by tinybobidaho

So much for Bush's Mexican Truck Pilot program. How many of us knew this would happen, and it didn't take long, did it?

Amen tinybob! I didn't think it would happen as quick as it did and to the extent it did! Shocking! Not only do we not close the borders, but we give this country a license to smuggle illegals and drugs into this country.

This is the top story on TX Governor Rick Perry's official website, where you can contact him (below) to thank him if you wish for this new enforcement - it never hurts to express our approval when our officials do what we ask them to do! At the same time, you can express your expectation that any Mexican truck drivers operating under the Administration's pilot "Mexican Truck Program" caught smuggling human beings or drugs also will lose their licenses! However, note that, sadly "enforcement" once again applies only to the "little people", the drivers themselves: no mention was made of also penalizing the management of the companies which employ these drivers!

Governor Perry's website with email form and other contact information:
http://www.governor.state.tx.us/

Texas Citizen's Opinion Hotline: 1-800-252-9000
Information and Opinion Hotline for out-of-state callers: (512) 463-1782
Office of the Governor Fax: (512) 463-1849

Texas Hold'em a losing hand for smugglers
By Ray Gomez

Story Created: Jun 21, 2008

Story Updated: Jun 21, 2008

It’s dubbed 'Texas hold ‘em ... and while many know it as a game ... for truck drivers.... they have more to lose.
After yesterday's announcement in Austin... Chief Carlos Carrillo is back in Laredo and sharing the new initiative with local agents.
Our Annette Garcia has more... it's our top story.
Annette?
The operation is welcomed by those enforcing the laws ... but what are truck drivers themselves ... saying.
Today many agreed ... this isn’t an issue taken lightly.
Truck drivers now risk loosing their commercial license forever if they don’t resist the temptation to smuggle drugs or aliens
Its an action ... potentially causing the loss of lives.
Though only only a small minority the numbers commits the crime so far ... overwhelms the imagination.
In the last eight months alone border patrol agents intercepted 423 tractor-trailers.... 330 of those here in Laredo.
The total illegals drugs --- more than 112 thousand pounds.
The total people --- more than one thousand 800 ... about the number enrolled in an average high school.
A new initiative ... Texas hold ' em strongly enforces present laws...
But if authorities find something they shouldn’t ... truckers will not only lose their license ... but they’re livelihood.
Once a person is convicted we will remand their information to the state to take distractive action of revoking their drivers license.
Putting an end to a career.
Many drivers welcoming the operation.... say they wouldn’t take the chance either way....
“If you want to break the law you want to break it but I don’t see the value in it ... I do well enough making a living driving a truckâ€

This is from part of Lou's show yesterday.

~~

DOBBS: New challenges tonight for local governments and private citizens trying to secure our border with Mexico. A job the federal government has failed to do. There is evidence that illegal aliens have broken through two layers of border fence and stolen equipment used to build, you guessed it, the border fence.

Casey Wian has our report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In Texas the border patrol has intercepted more than 400 big rigs smuggling either drugs or illegal aliens so far this year.

GOV. RICK PERRY (R), TEXAS: The Mexican crime syndicates have changed their tactics. They're losing money. They're looking for new loopholes to exploit. And their latest target are truckers.

WIAN: So Perry and the border patrol are launching "Operation Texas Hold 'Em" to revoke the commercial driver's license of any truck driver convicted of carrying an illegal load at the border. In Arizona, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio is under fire for his aggressive crackdown on illegal aliens.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We think that he needs to respect and protect civil rights. Not violate them.

WIAN: This week critics tried unsuccessfully to persuade county supervisors to strip Arpaio's funding.

SHERIFF JOE ARPAIO, MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZ.: For this sheriff enforcing all the laws of this land and this county including the illegal immigration laws. I took an oath of office to do that. I will continue to do that.

WIAN: And in California, from a private security group operating near the border town of Boulevard, what looks like evidence of brazen illegal crossers. Photos taken by a rancher Wednesday and given to CNN show a hole cut in the security firm's fence just north of the government's border fence. From the other side heavy equipment used by the National Guard and private contractors to build new fence and improve border access roads.

Footprints show someone crossed the border by crawling under a hole beneath the government's fence. Then they stole batteries and a radio from the heavy equipment and took them into Mexico. Here a National Guardsman and a mechanic inspect then repair the damage. The private fence was also fixed.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WIAN: The private border security contractor says the theft took at least an hour, and is clear evidence even two layers of fencing is no substitute for a visible presence by border patrol agents -- Lou.

DOBBS: Well that may be, but you know, I don't know if we can go back to that, that fence that you are showing there. But that contractor is building a very light fence. That isn't the double fence that the border patrol and Department of Homeland Security are supposed to be installing. I mean that...

WIAN: Lou that is a private contractor that's working for a rancher in the area.

(CROSSTALK) DOBBS: But you showed a picture of the government's fence. And that's still lightweight fencing. It is not the double fence that is supposed to be being built by DHS.

WIAN: Absolutely, that's far east of where the double fence...

DOBBS: Oh so let's be very...

WIAN: ... that has been built.

DOBBS: Right. Let's be very clear about what we are talking about here. Because that fence would barely keep out a coyote, and by that I meant the four-legged kind.

(LAUGHTER)

DOBBS: You know this is -- it's just dumber and dumber. Somebody should make a movie, dumber and dumber.

All right, thanks a lot. Casey Wian, appreciate it.

WIAN: OK.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/ ... dt.01.html