CBP Notes Significant Amount of Immigration Violations at Laredo Field Office Ports, Warns of Legal Consequences for Immigration Law Violations

by
September 22, 2022

LAREDO, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Office of Field Operations, Laredo Field Office advises the public of a significant amount of immigration law violations throughout South Texas ports of entry and warns of serious legal consequences for criminal violations of immigration law.

“We want to reach out to the community to advise that we are experiencing an uptick in immigration law violations at South Texas ports of entry and to warn the public against lending valid entry documents to facilitate illegal crossings or falsely claiming U.S. citizenship as it can cost you your liberty and for noncitizens, your ability to lawfully enter the U.S. in the future,” said Director, Field Operations Randy J. Howe, Laredo Field Office.

In Fiscal Year to Date 2022 through August 2022, CBP officers at Laredo Field Office ports of entry, from Brownsville to Del Rio processed more than 1,600 adverse actions/formal removals from the U.S. due to violations of immigration law compared to more than 630 during the same period in FYTD 2021, a 156 percent increase.

Immigration law violations include being an impostor (using a legitimate entry document that does not belong to you) using a fraudulent or altered entry document, falsely claiming U.S. citizenship, child smuggling/falsely claiming U.S. citizenship for minors traveling with you/providing U.S. birth certificates belonging to other people. All of these are violations of immigration law which can be prosecuted federally and may result in arrest, prosecution, incarceration. And for those noncitizens convicted of violations of immigration law, they face removal from the U.S. upon final adjudication of their criminal case and will not be eligible to return to the U.S. for a significant period of time.

Bottom line, it’s not worth it and CBP reiterates that the borders are not open, entering the U.S. illegally is a crime and violations of U.S. immigration law will be processed accordingly.

For more information, see more on the ‘Say No to the Coyote” campaign here.

Follow the Director of CBP’s Laredo Field Office on Twitter at @DFOLaredo and on Instagram at @dfolaredo and also U.S. Customs and Border Protection at @CBPSouthTexas for breaking news, current events, human interest stories and photos.

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital news organization covering New Jersey, national politics, public policy, public safety, and community affairs. With years of experience reporting on local government, elections, law enforcement, and issues impacting residents throughout New Jersey, Stilton has built a reputation for delivering timely news, in-depth reporting, and accountability journalism.

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