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SAN DIEGO Lourdes Ortiz Castaneda was sentenced in federal court yesterday to 34 months in prison for her role as the chief financial officer of a vast alien-smuggling organization operating in Southern California for several years.

The organizations leader, Gerardo Rigoberto Barojas-Saavedra, was previously sentenced to 71 months in custody for his running one of the most prolific smuggling operations in Southern California from 2019 through 2021. According to their plea agreements, Barojas, known as El Jefe (The Boss), admitted that he, along with Ortiz and others, smuggled more than one hundred undocumented migrants from Mexico into the United States, including some minors, through the southern border to Orange County and as far as the east coast. According to their plea agreements, Barojas and Ortiz charged migrants between $7,000 and $8,000 per person to be smuggled to Orange County, receiving the majority of smuggling fees in cash. According to their plea agreements, Barojas received approximately $216,925 in wire transfers and Ortiz received payments in cash, check, and wire transfers totaling approximately $480,465.

U.S. Border Patrol Agents assigned to the Boulevard Border Patrol Station led the investigation into the smuggling organization, resulting in the interdiction of approximately 150 alien smuggling events and the prosecution of three couriers, according to the complaint. The plea agreements reflect that the organization operated by renting vehicles and recruiting drivers to pick up illegal aliens along the Interstate 8 corridor in Imperial and San Diego counties, after the aliens had crossed illegally into the United States. Several of these smuggling events involved substantial risk to the migrants, including, for example, one event in which three were transported in an unsafe manner concealed within the trunk of a vehicle.

According to publicly filed documents, on or about November 9, 2020, the Anaheim Police Department arrested Barojas for allegedly kidnapping one of the minor migrants he smuggled into the United States and holding the minor at gunpoint. Officers found nine migrants, including the minor, in Barojas stash house, and seized four Glock handguns, one shotgun, two AR-15 rifles (including Barojas personal rifle bearing punisher logo), high-capacity magazines, a suitcase containing ammunition, hand-drawn maps depicting smuggling routes and locations to pick up aliens in the Southern District of California, electronic devices, a ledger, pay/owe sheets, and over $20,000 in cash. Barojas pleaded guilty to assault with a semi-automatic firearm in violation of California Penal Code 245(b) and Human Trafficking for Forced Labor in violation of California Penal Code 236.1(a) in 2021.

The plea agreements revealed that while in custody on the state charges from 2020 to 2021, Barojas continued running the Barojas alien smuggling organization from custody with the help of Ortiz and others. Ortiz handled day-to-day operations during this time, and also continued managing the financial operations of the smuggling organization until her arrest in September 2021.

The sentences, handed down by U.S. District Judge Barry Ted Moskowitz, included enhanced penalties for the substantial risk that the Barojas organizations drivers caused; the illegal transportation of an unaccompanied minor; the possession of firearms in furtherance of the offense; the transportation of more than 100 aliens; and their aggravated roles within the transportation cells alien smuggling activities.

We cannot emphasize enough that human smugglers only care about money and have very little regard for the safety and well-being of their customers, said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden. I urge anyone considering this perilous journey: Please do not trust a smuggler with your life.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Loren G. Rene.

DEFENDANTS Case Number 21-cr-02922-BTM

Gerardo Rigoberto Barojas-Saavedra Age: 35 Anaheim, CA

Lourdes Ortiz Castaneda Age: 28 Anaheim, CA

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Conspiracy to Transport Aliens, in violation of 8 U.S.C. 1324(a)(1)(A)(v)(I)

Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine per count

AGENCY

U.S. Border Patrol

***************************************

The U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of Californiahelps leadJoint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), which was established by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in June 2021 to marshal the investigative and prosecutorial resources of the Department of Justice, in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), toenhance U.S. enforcement efforts against the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. The Task Force focuses on disrupting and dismantling smuggling and trafficking networks that abuse, exploit, or endanger migrants, pose national security threats, and are involved in organized crime. JTFA consists of federal prosecutors and attorneys from U.S. Attorneys Offices along the Southwest Border (District of Arizona, Southern District of California, Southern District of Texas, and Western District of Texas), from the Criminal Division and the Civil Rights Division, along with law enforcement agents and analysts from DHSs Immigration and Customs Enforcement,Customs and BorderProtection, and Border Patrol. The FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration are also part of the Task Force.

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Leader and Chief Financial Officer of Human Smuggling ... - Department of Justice

Any politician who is serious about discouraging illegal immigration should support E-Verify, the online tool that allows employers to determine whether their employees have work authorization. Mandating E-Verify nationwide would be one of the most effective enforcement measures, but dont take my word for it. Listen to the Farm Bureau, which says E-Verify will have dire impacts because it would lose illegal workers, or to Mark Zuckerbergs pro-immigration lobbying group that warns about E-Verify diminishing the size of the available labor pool. These activists are not as concerned about walls or troops on the border because they know such measures are less effective than targeting the jobs-magnet directly.

Unfortunately, E-Verify was not a top priority for the Trump administration, and the former president remains oddly non-committal about it. When asked, Will you implement E-Verify nationally? in a candidate questionnaire published this week, Trump responded only with, We must stop people coming illegally into the country from taking jobs from American citizens.

That evasive reply contrasts sharply with the forcefulness of Trumps other answers to the questionnaire. For example, when asked, Will you extend the temporary parole status given to migrants by [Biden]? his response was clear and direct: No. All parole will be terminated retroactively and prospectively.

The contrast with other candidates responses on E-Verify is also striking. Every other candidate who answered the individual questions Ron DeSantis, Mike Pence, Nikki Haley, and Tim Scott gave a full-throated endorsement of E-Verify. DeSantiss answer was particularly convincing because he was able to point to Floridas implementation of E-Verify under his watch as governor.

Why is Trump so lukewarm toward the program? Perhaps he feels he cannot get it through Congress, but a fairly strong version did pass the House last spring. Its not implausible that a compromise measure could also work its way through the Senate in the future.

More importantly, implementing mandatory E-Verify may not require Congressional action at all. Current law requires employers to collect information on work eligibility through the paper I-9 form which, contrary to popular belief, does not actually get submitted to the government. Employers must merely keep I-9 forms on hand for three years in case the government wants to look at them. (It rarely does.) A simple regulatory change that requires employers to complete the I-9 through a government website rather than on paper may be able to replicate the E-Verify process without new legislation.

Trumps administration did belatedly start work on this idea (sometimes called "G-Verify") near the end of his term, but the clock ran out. A new administration that prioritizes mandatory E-Verify could get started immediately on implementing a new rule, ensuring enough time for the regulatory processes and inevitable legal challenges to play themselves out. But Trump apparently has different priorities.

Read more:
Committing to E-Verify - Immigration Blog

On two fronts, 800 miles apart, the Biden administration is demonstrating its passive-aggressive commitment to demolish bordersecurity.

In Texas, the Justice Department went to court this week to demand removal of afloating barrierthe state installed to block migrants from wading across the Rio Grande at EaglePass.

In Arizona, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) was more proactive actuallywelding open floodgatesto facilitate more illegalcrossings.

Rebutting the Biden administration assertion that buoys in the Rio Grande harm U.S. relations with Mexico, Texas lawyers said they are a necessary and appropriate impediment to record waves of illegal bordercrossers.

Mexicos top diplomatsaid it was essential to remove buoys installed in Mexican territory in the Rio Grande.Texas Gov. Greg Abbottquickly ordered re-placement of the devices that had moved to Mexicos side of theriver.

While open-borders groups decry the floating barrier as some sort of death trap its not the fact is that drownings have long been a common occurrence along the Rio Grande. On a single day last fall13 migrantsdied attempting to swim across the river at Eagle Pass. If anything, the Texas buoys discourage such riskyattempts.

Though only 1,000 feet long, the string of orange rotating buoys is an affront to federal officials unhinged by the deployment of protective measures of anysize.

Speaking of unhinged, CBP officials recently took it upon themselves to weld open floodgates in a section of Arizona border wall to allow migrants open access into the United States. According toone news report, Agency supervisors ordered that the gates be welded open to prevent the rank-and-file from closing thegates.

CPB initially said the openings were the work of the U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission.The IBWC denied that and pointed the finger back atCBP.

Then the Border Patrol averred that it makes the final decision on opening gates based on operational conditions and forecastedweather.

TheNew York Postsaid CBP, the Border Patrols parent agency, tried to weasel on that theme, saying the gates were opened to help prevent flooding. Arizonas in monsoon season, and floods can stress or compromise the design integrity of the barrier, the agencystated.

Then why, the Post rejoined, have 114 gates beenwelded open permanently? No response on that yet. But, in a further indication that this was a political decision, the Border Patrol union disputed whether opening the gates during monsoon season was even necessary.The union has called on officials to close the gates. In my opinion and in the Border Patrol agents opinion, those gates should never come open, said National Border Patrol Council President BrandonJudd.

Reckless gate jimmying may or may not assist with flood control, but it will most certainly abet the flow of illegal aliens. In the run-up to the opened gates, nearby Tucson was already feeling the onslaught, with 42,561 attempted crossings in July(up 56 percent overJune).

Not to worry, however. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas stands by his 2021 declaration that theborder is closed.This is what passes for Biden immigrationstrategy.

More:
Bidens Latest Border Schemes: Sink Buoys and Open Floodgates - Federation for American Immigration Reform

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. A resident of the Dominican Republic, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of illegal reentry by a deported alien, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.

Rudys Osvaldo Torres, age 50, of the Dominican Republic, pleaded guilty to Count One of the Indictment before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines.

In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on or about March 15, 2021, Torres, an alien who had previously been deported and removed from the United States, and who had knowingly, intentionally, and unlawfully reentered the United States, was found in the United States in Somerset County, Pennsylvania without having applied for and received permission from the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to reenter the United States.

Judge Haines scheduled sentencing for December 18, 2023. The law provides for a total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard, Jr. is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Pennsylvania State Police and the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Torres.

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Dominican Republic Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Re-Entering the ... - Department of Justice

The last remaining Trump-era immigration policy holding masses of illegal migrants at bay, known as Title 42, was put to rest last week by the Biden administration. But while there was some initial chaos at the border, it's died down somewhat in the intervening days, leading the corporate liberal media which has been ignoring the border crisis for three years to strike a reassuring tone.

It's a mistake. This is just the beginning of a new crisis, albeit in a slightly different form. This is the lull before the storm, as a new wave of migrants heads through Mexico, which has discontinued its Trump-era policy of preventing Central Americans from crossing into its territory.

There may have been no panic at the border, but that's because the administration has increased the legal routes of immigration available to the millions of migrants making their way to the U.S. The "relative quiet" has allowed Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to claim that the administration's policies are "working," but by "working," he doesn't mean that it is keeping illegal immigrants from gaming the system; he means that they are doing so far from the public eye.

The administration is now processing illegal migrants as fast as possible before letting them loose. Biden has opened 100 regional processing centers and is paroling as many as 30,000 illegals posing as asylum seekers a day. Many who might have hesitated to attempt the perilous journey to the border will now no longer have to. Biden has opened the door.

The issue was never whether or not Title 42 would remain in place. The problem is that having come into office pledging a more compassionate approach to illegal immigration and having, by administrative orders and unfair criticism of the Border Patrol, essentially downgraded enforcement of the laws, Biden engendered a massive surge of migration.

The big winners at the border have been the drug cartels who effectively control the Mexican side. Thanks to President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's "hugs, not bullets" approach to the criminals, the cartels control the traffic in illegal immigrants and drugs and are managing the flow to Biden's processing centers.

Some corporate media outlets like the New York Times have begun to notice the human cost of illegal immigration, as in a investigative piece about the fate of children who are trafficked over the border and become virtual slaves or are sexually exploited was shocking. But that just skimmed the surface of a humanitarian catastrophe. Lax enforcement of immigration laws has also given a huge boost to the drug cartels' efforts to maintain the traffic in fentanyl that is fueling the American opioid addiction crisis.

This man-made disaster cries out for a tougher response than the administration seems able to muster. Were Biden serious about the problem, he would reinstate Trump's draconian enforcement measures aimed at deterring the flow of illegal migrants and pressuring Mexico to do its part to stop it as well. He should also recognize that America's asylum laws are outdated and that the system is now so overwhelmed by false claims that genuine refugees who truly are in fear for their lives are being prevented from escaping to the United States.

Yet rather than stopping illegal immigration, Biden is content to let millions keep pouring across the border, as long as it doesn't lead to negative stories about the chaos there or the plight of both the migrants and the border communities who are being swamped by them.

Jonathan S. Tobin is editor-in-chief of JNS.org and a senior contributor to The Federalist. Follow him on Twitter at: @jonathans_tobin.

The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.

Originally posted here:
Illegal Migrants Have Abandoned the BorderBecause Biden Opened the Door | Opinion - Newsweek