House passes bill to tighten immigration law at border, workplace

By JIM ABRAMS
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The House acted Friday to stem the tide of illegal immigration by taking steps to tighten border controls and stop unlawful immigrants from getting jobs. But lawmakers left for next year the tougher issue of what to do with the 11 million undocumented people already in the country.

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San Luis Fire Chief: Border security a challenge
BY BLAKE SCHMIDT, SUN STAFF WRITER

SAN LUIS, Ariz. — The new San Luis fire chief said border-related emergencies will be a challenge for what he says is an understaffed, underpaid fire department in this growing border city.

He said that on a daily basis, the fire department resources are being called to the U.S. Port of Entry at San Luis, Ariz., to pick up patients being sent to the United States from Mexico, and escort them to Yuma Regional Medical Center.

In the summer, his crews often come to the rescue of illegal aliens who are suffering from heat-related illnesses.

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Mexico criticizes U.S. immigration bill focusing mostly on border security

By Ioan Grillo
ASSOCIATED PRESS

MEXICO CITY – The Mexican government Friday slammed the U.S. Congress for approving the construction of a fence along the U.S.-Mexico border, while Mexican human rights groups said it will only cause more deaths.

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Two state police officers, one assailant killed in clash in Mexican border city
ASSOCIATED PRESS

TIJUANA, Mexico – A double attempt Friday against a state commander's life in this border city left two police officers and an assailant dead, authorities said.

Gunmen traveling in at least three cars opened fire just past midnight at the house of state police commander Carlos Gomez. Gomez responded to the attack, killing one of the assailants, said Alfredo Garcia, a spokesman for the attorney general's office in Baja California, where Tijuana is located.

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U.S. House OKs construction of 700-mile fence along U.S. border

Louie Gilot
El Paso Times

El Paso could get a border fence in less than two years --two layers of reinforced fencing with lights, cameras and sensors that many critics are calling a wall.

The House voted Thursday to add an amendment to the immigration bill HR4437 calling for the 700-mile fence to be built in five sections, leaving roughly 1,300 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border between the unfenced sections. One section would start five miles west of the Columbus, N.M., port of entry and end 10 miles east of El Paso.

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Steroid suppliers busted in 'huge' hit

Investigation largest ever in U.S. history

By Onell R. Soto
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

Federal authorities announced yesterday that they have broken up a group of Mexican companies that supplies most of the illegal steroids used by hundreds of thousands of athletes, bodybuilders and others in the United States.

The steroid investigation resulted in the indictment of 23 people and eight Mexican companies, and was the largest in U.S. history, said John S. Fernandes, the special agent in charge of the San Diego DEA office.

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Man With Decades-Old Homicide Warrant Nabbed at Arizona Border

contacts for this press release

SAN LUIS, AZ - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers Friday were conducting routine checks on a man attempting to enter the country at the San Luis, Arizona port of entry when they discovered something unusual—a 20-year-old homicide warrant.

Emidio Ramirez Macias was found to have an outstanding warrant to a crime committed in Los Angeles in 1985. He was taken into custody at the San Luis port of entry at 3:30 a.m. and turned over to U.S. Marshals for return to California.