C.B.P. News Release

Imposters Thwarted by CBP Officers at Nogales Port

(Friday, December 04, 2009)

Nogales, Ariz. - U.S. Customs Border Protection officers at the Nogales ports of entry on Wednesday stopped seven individuals attempting to enter the United States illegally by bearing documents issued to other people.

CBP officers screening the arriving applicants for admission suspected that the documents they were given actually belonged to other individuals and were referred for further examination.

Upon interviewing the individuals, officer determined they were imposters. Reasons for attempting to enter the U.S. illegally ranged from shopping, to finding work in the Midwest, and returning to their home where they had been living.

All seven Mexican men and women, who range in age from 22 to 49 years old, were processed as immigration violators and either returned to Mexico after being barred from entering the United States or are being held in custody for possible prosecution on identity theft charges.

Last fiscal year (FY 2009), CBP officers statewide encountered 7,846 inadmissible aliens, including 654 false claim to U.S. citizenship, and 1,464 fraudulent documents.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Contacts For This News Release
Edith Serrano
CBP Public Affairs
Phone: (520) 761-2863 or
(520) 375-5785

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/new ... 2009_1.xml