Thread: Border Patrol tries to block entry to criminals

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Border Patrol tries to block entry to criminals
BY SARA INÉS CALDERÓN
The Brownsville Herald

July 22, 2006 — Rigoberto Piñeda Rivas assaulted and kidnapped a woman in Raleigh, N.C., in 2003.

After serving 30 months in state prison, he was deported to Mexico. Last week, he was detained by the Border Patrol near Falfurrias, while en route to Raleigh again.

Piñeda’s story isn’t a first. The Border Patrol catching criminals trying to re-enter the country happens more often than people think, according to Border Patrol spokesman Roy Cervantes.

Last fiscal year, 6,517 criminal immigrants were identified by the Border Patrol in the Rio Grande Valley sector. And 5,955 have been caught so far this fiscal year, he said.

“Identifying aggravated felons is only one of the many duties performed by the Border Patrol aimed at securing the nation’s borders,” Cervantes said.

The Border Patrol uses the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) to identify known criminals. The database shares information within the Border Patrol and the FBI as well.

In this way, the Border Patrol is responsible for protecting not only the residents of the Valley, Cervantes said, but also those of Raleigh, as well.

“These arrests ensure a much safer and secure border which would increase the quality of life not only along the border, but throughout the United States,” Cervantes said.

The case of Piñeda is exemplary of this commitment, he said.

The Raleigh Police Department initially arrested Piñeda and assumed he wouldn’t come back after his deportation, spokesman Jim Sughrue said.

“We’ve obviously believed that people ought to comply with the laws and rulings of courts,” Sughrue said.

Piñeda had other charges against him beside those that finally landed him in jail, Sughrue said. As Piñeda was returning to Raleigh when he was detained, the department is thankful, he said.

“We are certainly grateful for the work they do, for every success that they have enforcing the law,” Sughrue said.

sicalderon@brownsvilleherald.com


Posted on Jul 22, 06 | 12:01 am

This is just one great example of why we need to secure the border NOW!

30 months for kidnapping and assault on a woman, my my, we are really spanking them hard aren't we? Use to, kidnapping alone carried a life sentence, why didn't the court just give the man a cigar and some brandy and pin a medal on his chest for this crime, efidently they didn't see it as much of a crime,considering the anount of time they gave him. To bad the judges are not able to have a lot of empathy for the victims, since it never seems to be them getting kidnapped and raped, to bad I say.