Thread: Austin police arrest 9 after standoff

http://www.dailytexanonline.com

6/28/06
Austin police arrest 9 after standoff


By Matt Powell
PrintEmail Article Tools Page 1 of 1 Austin police have taken nine people into custody after a six-hour standoff in North Austin that uncovered alleged illegal immigrant smuggling.

The Austin Police Department received a call around 2 p.m. Monday claiming that "individuals were being held against their will," in a duplex at Windy Trail and Newmont Road, according to a department spokeswoman. A SWAT team responded, leading to a standoff that resulted in the apprehension of seven men and two women Monday evening.

The department would not release the names or nationalities of the hostages or kidnappers, but said they were not U.S. citizens.

Austin police are currently deferring all questions related to the incident to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement because it is likely an issue of illegal immigrant smuggling.

The groups that smuggle illegal immigrants across the border, commonly called coyotes, often smuggle more than just people.

"One thing people don't talk about is that these coyotes are involved in larger rings that involve slavery and drug money," said Jim Harrington, director of the Austin-based Texas Civil Rights Project.

Saul Soto, who works for the Border Network for Human Rights in El Paso, said that the problem is in U.S. legislation.

"Immigration laws are antiquated and need to be updated," Soto said. "People will do what they have to for themselves and their families, and sometimes that means contacting these coyotes."

Harrington said immigrant smuggling is not uncommon.

"This is quite an industry in Mexico," he said. "The price has risen to $4,000 per person since the crackdown by Homeland Security."

Another problem with the coyotes, Soto said, is that they are not bound by contract with the immigrants.

More than 500 immigrants, almost two people per day, died at the hands of the coyotes in 2005, Soto said.

"They see these people as less than human, and so they have no problem just taking their money and dumping them anywhere across the border, with no papers or help."

Saul Soto, who works for the Border Network for Human Rights in El Paso, said that the problem is in U.S. legislation.

The problem is in Mexico. Mexico needs to address it's human rights issues instead of exporting them. Then there is the issue of 16-20 billion dollars a year in income.

"They see these people as less than human, and so they have no problem just taking their money and dumping them anywhere across the border, with no papers or help."

What happened to the days when coyotes were upstanding and trustworthy

Do these people not pay to be brought into the United States? Well that is what they got. They got across the border. What kind of papers would you like them to be given? Maybe fake papers, I can't imagine what other kind of papers an illegal would get. What kind of help would you like them to be given as they illegal cross into our nation? Maybe we should set up "illegal centers" so when then cross the border there is some kind, bleeding heart liberal there to tell them the ins and outs of working the system so they can get an American citizens SS# and welfare, schooling, medical care, etc. for free.

More than 500 immigrants, almost two people per day, died at the hands of the coyotes in 2005, Soto said.

Considering the thousands that cross into our contry every day I hardly think that is a significant number statistically speaking (not to sound mean or anything).

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/n ... uggle.html

Four charged with immigrant smuggling after standoff
Immigrants threatened with gun before escaping, documents say.
By Steven Kreytak
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Thursday, June 29, 2006

When the two Hondurans arrived at the North Austin duplex Sunday, their smugglers immediately took their shoes to keep them from escaping, according to a federal court affidavit filed Wednesday.

The pair — Jorge Padilla-Calix and Karen Martel-Calix — had been brought from Encinal, north of Laredo, in a maroon minivan and were held with 10 other undocumented immigrants who were told that the fee for their transport had gone up from $2,600 to $3,000, the affidavit said.

When Padilla's grandmother was contacted and refused to pay, one of the smugglers got a handgun from a bedroom and threatened to take Padilla and Martel to the desert and kill them, the affidavit said.

On Wednesday, the man accused of making that threat, Mexican citizen Ramiro Garduno-Sanchez, and three people accused of being his associates in an immigrant-smuggling operation busted by Austin police Monday were charged in federal court with harboring and transporting illegal aliens.

The four made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andy Austin on Wednesday and were ordered held without bail, pending another hearing.

The affidavit said that 12 undocumented immigrants were held at the "stash house" at 10702-B Newmont Road.

Padilla and Martel told immigration agents that they were brought to Austin with two or three others, the affidavit said. It did not say when the others arrived or how they reached Encinal.

After Garduno threatened the pair, they escaped through a bedroom window, the affidavit said.

Garduno became enraged when he learned of the escape and brandished a gun before leaving with another person charged in the case, Fernando Lopez-Ugarte, a Guatemalan, announcing that he was going to "take care of them," the affidavit said.

Meanwhile, someone called Austin police, reporting that people were being held against their will at the duplex, which led to a six-hour standoff. The standoff, which included the department's SWAT team, ended peacefully Monday night, authorities said.

A third person charged, Mexican citizen Juan Barcenas-Avila, was arrested as he tried to leave the duplex during the standoff.

According to the affidavit, Barcenas told agents that he drove the immigrants from Encinal to Austin and then released them to Lopez, who lived at the duplex with the fourth person charged, Lydia Vividor-Coronado, a Guatemalan national.

A spokeswoman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not return a call seeking the ages and nationalities of the undocumented immigrants held at the house.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Chapman said the immigrants remain in federal custody. She said it is not clear what will happen to them.

skreytak@statesman.com; 912-2946