http://www.valleystar.com/articles/2006 ... _news2.txt

Santa Rosa school investigates possible immigrant smuggling

Superintendent says extra adult passengers were on bus trip



By ALLEN ESSEX
allene@valleystar.com
956-430-6239

SANTA ROSA - School district officials are investigating a Friday incident in which a school bus may have been used to transport illegal immigrants past the Sarita checkpoint.

Superintendent Carlos Guerra said some extra adult passengers were on a bus transporting the high school girls basketball team to a game at Hebbronville. The bus stopped at the rest area north of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement checkpoint near Sarita on Expressway 77.

Three adults, who may be related to the bus driver, left the bus and got into a car that also may have been driven by relatives of the trio, Guerra said.

No law enforcement authorities such as Border Patrol or police removed the adults when the bus passed through the checkpoint, he said. They just got off the bus at the rest area and into the car, Guerra said.


The bus returned to Santa Rosa late Friday night, Guerra said. On Saturday, students contacted school authorities.

"Some of the students were concerned," the superintendent said.

It is unknown whether the adults continued north or returned to Santa Rosa, Guerra said.

The possibility that one of the district's school buses was used to evade the checkpoint security is being considered, Guerra said.

"It certainly looks that way," he said.