Since 2005, Border Patrol agent Jesus Huizar has headed the illegal alien smuggling ring of over 100 illegals into the United States. In May of 2008, he was arrested for his alleged role in the crime but it does create some issues of trust.
With the national strategy to establish and maintain effective control of the Nation’s borders, the
Border Patrol is responsible for deterring illegal entries through improved enforcement, amongst other key objectives.
However, corruption knows no boundary and for one agent, the lines of deterrence seemed to cross with greed as he was busted on May 13th for alien smuggling and faces up to 30 years in prison.
In a news release by ICE, Border Patrol agent Jesus Huizar was given the duty of protecting the country from illegal immigrants but instead, is alleged to have provided over 100 of them safe entry into the United States at the reasonable rate of $500 US dollars a piece.
Apparently, his fee undercut the criminal network who charged between $1,800 and $2,500 per head.
According to a news report, Huizar would take their money and then someone would provide transportation for the illegal immigrants to a known "safe house".
Agent Huizar, 28, is said to be the ring leader in the New Mexico smuggling campaign and two men from Chihuahua City helped him out.
The ring is responsible for not only physically getting the illegals across, but also for providing them with illegal documentation that provided them with access. Huizar owned one safe house where many of the illegal immigrants were transported as part of the ring.
As part of its criminal investigation ICE plans to seize that house, five bank accounts in El Paso, and several vehicles. Monies totaling $21,000 have already been seized from one account.
The three men were all arrested and charged with conspiracy to smuggle aliens, although the Huizar faces additional charges and will be close to 60-years-old if sentenced to the maximum term, when he is released from prison.
Back in 2005, document checks uncovered that one Border Patrol agent in California hired 4 years prior showed that he was in fact an illegal immigrant and had doctored his birth certificate to obtain the position. He had been smuggling illegal immigrants into the United States.
In a statement made by ICE special agent Roberto Medina:
"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."
