ICE looking to set up operations in northern Arizona


Associated Press - December 16, 2007 1:04 PM ET

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) - Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials are intent on hitting the road in their fight against illegal immigrant smuggling organizations.

Plans are in the works to establish a permanent agency presence in northern Arizona.

That's because smugglers make such frequent use of Interstates 17 and 40 as they transport illegal immigrants from drop houses in the Phoenix area to disperse across the country north, east and west of Arizona.

The idea has been percolating for the last year, punctuated with a successful 90-day trial run last winter in which four agents worked out of Flagstaff.

Covering areas including Kingman and Bullhead City, they worked with local authorities, identified and interdicted some local smuggling organizations and even helped rein in gang operations in Beaver Dam, near the Nevada and Utah borders.

ICE officials say a permanent presence in northern Arizona is in the planning stages, with a supervisor and three agents expected to be in place no later than June.

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