CBP officer who lived with illegal immigrant girlfriend arrested

Posted: April 8, 2009 03:45 PM CDT

Updated: April 8, 2009 07:47 PM CDT




COLUMBUS, N.M. -- A Columbus, New Mexico, Customs and Border Protection officer is charged with interfering with an investigation involving his live-in girlfriend who was in the United States illegally, according to court documents obtained by the ABC-7 I-Team.

Thirty-eight-year-old Salvador Baquera is accused of improperly issuing an immigration permit to Rosa Elena Rodriguez DeMunoz, a woman he lived with in Columbus, and not reporting that she was in the United States illegally, since he was obligated to do so as a CBP officer.

In addition, he physically restrained Rodriguez DeMunoz from answering questions from Department of Homeland Security investigators, according to a criminal complaint.

Baquera was arrested by Department of Homeland Security agents Tuesday morning at the Columbus Port of Entry and has been charged with one count of federal obstruction.

He appeared in federal court in Las Cruces Wednesday afternoon and was released on unsecured bond of $25,000.

Mary Stillinger, Baquera's attorney, told ABC-7 her client "is innocent of the charges and we look forward to a trial." Stillinger said the Columbus port director was at the hearing. She said Baquera is still employed with CBP, but she said he would be put on administrative leave.

The court documents say Rodriguez DeMunoz had lived at the residence since August 2008. She was taken into custody and returned to Mexico on Feb. 27 after questioning by Department of Homeland Security and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officers.

http://www.kvia.com/global/story.asp?s=10152696