http://www.officer.com/article/article. ... 1&id=28601

Colorado Troopers Round Up Immigrants Trying To Enter Tunnel

Updated: February 13th, 2006 10:32 AM EDT

The Associated Press

State Troopers and a search and rescue team rounded up nine illegal immigrants who were trying to walk through the world's highest vehicular tunnel after their sport utility vehicle broke down.

Trooper Justin Mullins was called to the 11,112-foot (3,334-meter)-high tunnel Saturday afternoon when the group of Mexican nationals was seen trying to enter the tunnel on foot, said Master Trooper Ron Watkins.

The six men and three women fled when Mullins approached, running down a steep embankment into a wooded area where the snow was six feet deep, said Watkins.

Mullins noted the immigrants, ages 17 to 34, were wearing light shirts and blue jeans and he called the Summit County Search and Rescue team.

Together with troopers they found the group after about three hours and took them to the sheriff's office, where they were given warm clothes and fed. A medical team examined them and all were in good health.

Watkins said the group's spokesman said they had left the state of Chiapas, Mexico by bus seven to ten days ago. Their homes were destroyed by one of last year's hurricanes and that they had lost everything. They decided to make the trip to the United States and join relatives in South Carolina.

After being dropped off by the bus, they hitched a ride and then pooled their money and bought an SUV. It broke down near the tunnel.

The patrol said it was turning the group over to immigration officials.




http://www.9news.com/acm_news.aspx?OSGN ... 89c01ca7bf

Immigrants rescued after trying to walk through Eisenhower tunnel
posted by: Dan Werner Web producer

Created: 2/12/2006 10:38 AM MST - Updated: 2/12/2006 10:56 AM MST

SILVERTHORNE (AP) - State Troopers and a search and rescue team rounded up nine illegal immigrants who were trying to walk through the world's highest vehicular tunnel.

Additional Resources...
9News Anchor Adam Schrager says the illegal immigrants were not dressed for the cold weather. 7 a.m. February 12, 2006.
video: http://www.9news.com/acm_news.aspx?OSGN ... 89c01ca7bf

Trooper Justin Mullins was called to the 11,112-foot-high Eisenhower Tunnel Saturday afternoon when the group of Mexican nationals was seen trying to enter the tunnel on foot, said Master Trooper Ron Watkins.

The six men and three women fled when Mullins approached, running down a steep embankment into a wooded area where the snow was six feet deep, said Watkins.

Mullins noted the immigrants, ages 17 to 34, were wearing light shirts and blue jeans -- the temperature in the area had dropped to minus 20 overnight - and he called the Summit County Search and Rescue team.

Together with troopers they found the group after about three hours and took them to the sheriff's office, where they were given warm clothes and fed. A medical team examined them and all were in good health.

Watkins said the group's spokesman said they had left the state of Chiapas, Mexico by bus seven to ten days ago. Their homes were destroyed by one of last year's hurricanes and that they had lost everything. They decided to make the trip to the United States and join relatives in South Carolina.

After being dropped off by the bus, they hitched a ride and then pooled their money and bought a Suburban. It broke down near the tunnel.

The patrol said it was turning the group over to immigration officials.

http://rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local ... 78,00.html

Abandoned illegals rescued in Summit County
Searchers retrieve nine from snow where they'd fled
Print By Julie Poppen, Rocky Mountain News
February 13, 2006

They lost everything in Hurricane Stan, a tropical storm that tore through Chiapas, Mexico, in October.
But a circuitous - and illegal - attempt to get to relatives in South Carolina nearly ended in tragedy Saturday for nine Mexicans near Eisenhower Tunnel in Summit County.

It did end with them facing the likelihood of being sent back to homes that no longer exist.

The risky and dangerous journey for the six men and three women, ranging in age from 17 to 34, began about eight days ago aboard a bus, according to a news release issued by the Colorado State Patrol.

One member of the group, which originally included two others, has relatives in South Carolina.

The bus dropped off the 11 in the Arizona desert. They told authorities they were later robbed and left with only the clothes on their backs and little money.

They pooled their resources and bought a Chevy Suburban in Arizona, which they successfully drove to Colorado. But the vehicle began overheating Saturday morning about three miles west of the Eisenhower Tunnel.

The driver and another passenger told the other nine to get out and said they would come back to pick them up once the SUV was fixed.

The pair never returned, said Master Trooper Ron Watkins.

The group left behind - wearing only light shirts and blue jeans and carrying no food or water - began walking and attempted to enter the tunnel about 3:45 p.m., which is prohibited.

When state troopers arrived, the group ran, fleeing down a steep embankment toward some trees in waist-deep snow.

Trooper Justin Mullins knew they were at risk - temperatures the previous night had dipped to below 20 degrees - so he contacted Summit County Search and Rescue.

"He was savvy enough to recognize the fact this was more than just a criminal thing," Watkins said. "These were people who were in serious trouble and needed serious help."

Mike Schmitt, spokesman for Summit County Search and Rescue, said the nine, who had fled into an avalanche prone area, would have had trouble getting out on their own.

"I think they got stuck pretty good down there," Schmitt said.

The group was rescued by 7 p.m. and taken to the Summit County Sheriff's Office, where they were given food, warm clothing and a place to rest. Paramedics checked them out and found no injuries.

"They were starving," Watkins said. "The first thing they asked for was food and water."

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials were notified and within hours all nine were taken away.

Watkins said Interstate 70 is a major corridor for the transport of illegal immigrants.

"We see it all the time," Watkins said. "Most of the time, we're contacted because of a traffic violation. There are usually large groups of them. They're usually packed in cars not designed for the number of people in it. There are a number of red flags that pop up."

Just last month, a routine traffic stop in Summit County led to the arrest of 14 illegal immigrants. In that case, a Colorado State Patrol trooper stopped a 1989 Toyota pickup for traveling well under the speed limit in eastbound traffic between Silverthorne and the Eisenhower Tunnel.

The driver, Pedro Castro, 33, and 13 adult occupants were arrested and taken to Summit County Jail. Immigration officials picked up the group for deportation, police said.

In November, 14 illegal immigrants spilled from a pickup truck that had spun off the road near Vail Pass during a storm. All were wearing short- sleeved shirts. They were taken to the ICE detention center in Denver.

poppenj@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-892-517


http://www.summitdaily.com/article/2006 ... S/60212002

State Patrol troopers round up immigrants trying to walk through the Eisenhower Tunnel
By The Associated Press
February 12, 2006

SILVERTHORNE — State Troopers and a search and rescue team rounded up nine illegal immigrants who were trying to walk through the world’s highest vehicular tunnel after their SUV broke down.

Trooper Justin Mullins was called to the 11,112-foot-high Eisenhower Tunnel Saturday afternoon when the group of Mexican nationals was seen trying to enter the tunnel on foot, said Master Trooper Ron Watkins.

The six men and three women fled when Mullins approached, running down a steep embankment into a wooded area where the snow was six feet deep, said Watkins.

Mullins noted the immigrants, ages 17 to 34, were wearing light shirts and blue jeans — the temperature in the area had dropped to minus 20 overnight - and he called the Summit County Search and Rescue team.

Together with troopers they found the group after about three hours and took them to the sheriff’s office, where they were given warm clothes and fed.

A medical team examined them and all were in good health.

Watkins said the group’s spokesman said they had left the state of Chiapas, Mexico by bus seven to ten days ago.

Their homes were destroyed by one of last year’s hurricanes and that they had lost everything.

They decided to make the trip to the United States and join relatives in South Carolina.

After being dropped off by the bus, they hitched a ride and then pooled their money and bought a Suburban.

It broke down near the tunnel.

The patrol said it was turning the group over to immigration officials.