Thread: Illegal Mexican immigration more professional, dangerous

Illegal Mexican immigration more professional, dangerous

Published 13 October, 2011 08:01:00 The World
Ruxandra Guidi is a reporter at KPBS in San Diego.

As the United States steps up border enforcement, illegal immigration is becoming a big, dangerous business. And that new reality has some old organizations trying to figure out how they fit.

Mario Lopez pulls his bright orange Jeep over to the side of a major freeway in Tijuana. He points to the double fence separating his Mexican city from San Diego. This area used to be a major route for illegal border crossings. In the 1990s, more than 1,500 people were smuggled through here each week.

Lopez has been an agent with Grupo Beta for two decades. It’s a Mexican government agency with a mission to protect northbound migrants from smugglers. The agents had the authority to conduct investigations and make arrests.

Carlos Diaz de Leon walks up to Lopez and extends his hand, showing him a folded US deportation slip. The Sonora migrant has just been sent back to Mexico and he asks Lopez for help.

Diaz de Leon said he’s crossed illegally many times over the years, and Grupo Beta was always there for him.

“They have fed me when I was hungry,â€

RELATED

"ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IS A FORM OF ORGANIZED CRIME"

http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-252587.html