Thread: TX: Border Patrol Agent Accused Of Smuggling Illegal Immigra

Border Patrol Agent Accused Of Smuggling Illegal Immigrants
Daniel Novick-KFOX News Reporter

POSTED: 5:42 pm MDT May 14, 2008
UPDATED: 9:38 pm MDT May 14, 2008


EL PASO, Texas -- Border Patrol agent Jesus Huizar along with two other people are sitting in jail charged with smuggling more than 100 illegal immigrants.

Those who live on the 9000 block of Geranium say the house at 9072 Geranium, that ICE agents said was used as a safe house for illegal immigrants, seemed suspicious to them.

"Basically people were always just coming and leaving, and there was just different cars, different people, it did look pretty suspicious," said Darlene Brown who lives right next store to the alleged illegal immigrant safe house. "I was pretty shocked because I always notice suspicious activity next store, but I would have never thought it would be that."

ICE agents say 28-year-old Huizar is a Border Patrol agent in Las Cruces.

"[He] is suspected of having allowed more than 100 illegal aliens past his checkpoint in New Mexico, in exchange for $500 a piece," said Leticia Zamarripa with ICE.

ICE officials said after Huizar let the immigrants through the checkpoint, someone would take the immigrants to the safe house in the Lower Valley owned by Huizar. ICE agents said Huizar ran the smuggling ring along with two men from Chihuahua City since January of 2005.

All three men have been charged with conspiracy to commit alien smuggling. Huizar, if convicted, could face up to 30 years in federal prison.

ICE also released to KFOX the following statement: "ICE is relentless in identifying and arresting corrupt federal officers who stray from their charge of enforcing the rule of law and protecting the homeland. We will continue to work diligently with our federal law enforcement partners to assure the American public that we will maintain the public's trust."

www.kfoxtv.com

I'm not surprised. When it is reported that Border Patrol agents in El Paso are giving illegals rides and aware they are coming in illegally, it's little surprise they are caught smuggling. I think the supervisor in that area needs to be fired.