Thread: Man Claiming To Be Iranian Refugee Caught In NM

http://www.kfoxtv.com/news/5989631/detail.html

Man Claiming To Be Iranian Refugee Caught In NM

An Iranian man was caught knocking on an immigration officer's front door in Columbus, N.M., on Monday looking for food and water.

The officer immediately turned the man over to authorities, with the help of the local police chief, Clare May.

May says the man told him that he spent three years getting to the U.S. seeking asylum and had recently crossed over from Mexico.

"I don't know what his intentions are, hopefully it is as a refugee, he is seeking asylym from a country that may be repressed, but yeah, warning bells do go off, It does make me wonder, the hairs raise on the back of my neck," Chief Clare May, Columbus Police.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement are still investigating and the man remains in their custody.

http://www.kfoxtv.com/news/6013296/detail.html

Update On Iranian Refugee Caught In N.M.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents say a man who claimed to be Iranian is indeed from that country and did cross into Columbus, N.M., with a large amount of cash, though the agency won't say how much.

You saw the story only on KFOX Tuesday night: the man said he traveled for three years before turning up in Columbus where he was then turned over to police.

I.C.E says the unidentified man must go before an immigration judge who'll decide whether he gets to stay in the country. That hearing isn't expected for a few weeks.

http://www.demingheadlight.com

Iranian immigrant enters country illegally
By Kevin Buey
Headlight Staff

Jan 11, 2006, 06:00 am

Email this article
Printer friendly page

Authorities found no wanted bulletins or warrants on a man who identified himself as Medhi Ahmadi, an Iranian who surrendered Monday morning to U.S. authorities in Columbus, the U.S. Border Patrol reported Tuesday.

Ahmadi carried many aliases, according to Columbus Police Chief Clare May, and was held Tuesday in El Paso after a three-year trek from Iran to the United States. Authorities would not confirm this name.

That is standard policy, said U.S. Border Patrol spokesman Doug Mosier and U.S Customs spokeswoman Leticia Zamarripa.
“A thorough background check was made,� Mosier said. “All negative with respect to immigration history, warrants and terrorism.�
The man was then transferred to custody of U.S Customs and Border Protection, a division of the Department of Homeland Security.
“He was in the country illegally,� Zamarripa said. “He is being detained in El Paso and was placed in removal proceedings.�
May said the man knocked on the residence door of Joseph Rivera and was trying to purchase food and water from the residents. He had money for the purchases. Rivera, however, is a supervisor with U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the Columbus Port of Entry.

“This individual stated that he was traveling from Iran through Turkey, through Croatia to Italy. He used a fake passport. He came through Guatemala to Mexico to the United States. He said he had been traveling three years,� May said “He said he was born in 1969. He looked younger than that ... a straight-looking man. He spoke English, but with a heavy accent. French. A little Spanish.�

May said Rivera was off-duty when he came to City Hall.

“‘You’re the first one I saw with a badge,’� May said, quoting Rivera. “I believe what (the immigrant) uttered was he was looking for a refugee camp or asylum. He had a heavy accent.�
Rivera was out of his office Tuesday.

Mosier said normal procedure is to process an immigrant to see if he was on any wanted list, including that of foreigners of special interest to the United States government. If he showed up on a federal list, jurisdiction would devolve to the FBI.

http://www.borderlandnews.com/apps/pbcs ... 50337/1001

Local news Sunday, January 15, 2006

Iranian migrant caught after asking for help

Louie Gilot
El Paso Times
Sunday, January 15, 2006

One early morning last week, a man with a backpack walked into downtown Columbus, N.M. He was an undocumented immigrant looking for food and something to drink. He had money -- more than $2,000 -- but he didn't know where the village's lone convenience store was.

He decided to ask a local.

Out of about 900 dwellings in and around Columbus, the man on Jan. 9 knocked on the door of the only immigration officer living in town, said Columbus Police Chief Clare May.

The officer, who works for Customs and Border Protection at the Columbus border crossing, turned the migrant over to May.

"He was very clean, well-dressed, well-groomed. He looked Hispanic. But as soon as the guy spoke, you could tell he was not your typical person from around here," May said.

The man gave his name as Mehdi Ahmadi, 36, and said he was from Iran.

Border Patrol officials said 96 percent of undocumented immigrants captured in the El Paso sector, which covers El Paso county and all of New Mexico, are Mexican nationals. The great majority of the remaining 4 percent come from Latin America, Border Patrol spokesman Doug Mosier said. Immigrants from the Middle East are fairly rare.

Figures from the Executive Office of Immigration Review in Washington, D.C., show that 10 Iranians were caught in El Paso in 2005 -- one of whom did not show up for his court date and disappeared. Late last year, federal officials vowed to end the practice known as "catch-and-release," in which other-than-Mexican immigrants were released with the promise to appear in court later.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said the man is awaiting a court hearing at the immigration detention center on Montana Avenue at Hawkins Boulevard.

Border Patrol officials said the man had no criminal history or past immigration violations.

Ahmadi told May that he had traveled for the past two and a half to three years from Iran to Turkey, Croatia, Italy, Guatemala and north to the U.S.-Mexico border. He said he intended to ask for asylum in the United States.

Louie Gilot may be reached at lgilot@elpasotimes.com, 546-6131.