Sheriff: Keeping illegal immigrants out is difficult


Other news...
Last updated on: 6/19/2007 6:53:26 PM by Grant Boxleitner

LEE COUNTY: Lee County Sheriff’s Office Marine Units are changing the way they patrol our waters in the wake of recent landings by Cuban immigrants. Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott sat down with NBC2 to discuss his new strategy.

"The reality of it is our country has been a sponge absorbing illegal immigrants," said Scott.

Scott said he's concerned about the recent landings and he's increased patrols offshore.

"As we would with any crime, if you see a trend you develop intel. In this case, someone coming ashore, obviously, you’re going to ramp up your efforts there," said Scott.

Lieutenant Scott Lucia, of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, explained Cubans hoping to come ashore may now have a tougher time hitting Sanibel and the rest of the outer islands.

"We've changed the some of our patrols. Although we've got a lot of inland waterways as well, we've spent a little bit more time with the offshore waters. We work closely with the Coast Guard," Lucia sais.

But Scott says the challenge to keep illegal immigrants out is a difficult one - and his office cannot do the job alone.

"That's a big Gulf of Mexico out there and you have to look beyond the local sheriff's office, look at the nature of the problem, look beyond the sheriff's office to the federal government," said Scott.

One of the sheriff's top tools to intercept illegal immigrants is a 32-foot 'special action vessel.'

Captain Derek Creamer, of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, says it can transport up to 35 people offshore to the safety of a larger boat.

"It's good for boarding other vessels with the low sides; you can see how wide the boat is. It's very stable with the wide platform," said Creamer.

But Scott says this problem is much larger than Lee County.

"It's a disgrace that our country has not sealed the border, it's a disgrace. Not just me as a sheriff - but me as a citizen," said Scott.

The sheriff also says he has no increases for the Marine Unit in his proposed budget for next year. He says he has a far greater responsibility to residents who need services other than upping the border patrol.

© 2007 by NBC2 NEWS. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


http://www.nbc-2.com/articles/readartic ... 095&z=3&p=