Prosecution of illegal entrants hits Tucson

By Arthur H. Rotstein

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

A program aimed at deterring illegal border crossings by prosecuting a select number of apprehended entrants will expand today to cover the busiest illicit entry sector on the U.S.-Mexican border.

Until now, the majority of illegal entrants caught in the Border Patrol's Tucson Sector have been voluntarily returned to Mexico. Now, 40 entrants will be prosecuted each weekday under the sector's zero-tolerance program.

"Based on the success in other locations and other prosecutorial initiatives that we have, we know that the impact of time served has a deterrent effect on illegal entrants and on recidivists too," said Robert Boatright, chief deputy patrol agent in the Tucson Sector. The sector covers all but a small part of the Arizona-Mexico border.

The Border Patrol initiated the first such program in the area around Del Rio, Texas, in December 2005, this one targeting illegal entrants from countries other than Mexico. It added the Yuma area in December 2006 to decrease border violence and moved on to Laredo, Texas, a few months ago.