Charges To Be Filed Against Anyone Caught Crossing U.S.-Mexico Border

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - There are less attempts by Mexicans to cross the U.S.-Mexico borders for fear of lawsuits. Under Operation Streamline, a lawsuit would be filed against anyone caught cross the border.

Previously, Mexicans caught used to be fingerprinted only and sent back to Mexico without criminal charges. Because of its success in guarding the nation's borders against illegal immigrants, the program will be expanded beyond Texas and Arixona to other parts of the US where it shares a boundary with Mexico.

Apprehensions in the U.S.-Mexico border declined by 20 percent in 2007 to 895,000 incidents only. The Homeland Security Department seeks to further bring the figure down by 15 percent this year. A minimum of misdemeanor charge is filed against those apprehended. If convicted, the erring Mexican would be deported and could put in peril future legal applications to enter the U.S.

Despite the mounting success of the program, criticisms has been aired, particularly its penalizing border crossers, but not U.S. employers who hire illegal immigrants. TJ Bonner, president of the National Border Patrol Council, told the Washington Post, "This strategy pretty much has it backwards... It's going after desperate people who are crossing the border in search of a better way of life, instead of going after employers who are hiring people who have no right to work in this country."

A similar observation was aired by U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley of Iowa. Braley represents Postville, where the Agriprocessors plant was raided which resulted in the arrest of almost 400 illegal foreign workers on May 12. Braley warned the New York Daily News, "Until we enforce our immigration laws equally against bother employers and employees who break the law, we will continue to have a problem with immigration."