Quantcast FBI arrests illegal immigrants in N.M. driver's license case
Local News
Local News
Local News
News for Santa Fe and New Mexico :

Advertisement

RSS | Bookmark and Share

FBI arrests illegal immigrants in N.M. driver's license case

Related

More on this site

Advertisement

ALBUQUERQUE — The FBI has arrested 10 illegal immigrants as part of an investigation into an alleged smuggling operation that involved the use of fake documents to obtain New Mexico driver's licenses.

FBI Special Agent in Charge Thomas McClenaghan announced Thursday that the arrests were made late Wednesday by the Albuquerque FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of Investigations.

The case began two weeks ago when a Motor Vehicle Division employee reported that two people appeared to be using fraudulent information to get a driver's license. Those two turned out to be illegal immigrants and were arrested by customs agents.

Investigators learned that several illegal immigrants living in New Mexico were charging thousands of dollars to help other illegal immigrants travel to the state to get licenses, said FBI spokesman Darrin Jones.

The FBI said the illegal immigrants being brought to the state were of "special interest" because their home countries are associated with special national security concerns. The FBI would not identify the countries.

Agents have served multiple search warrants in connection with the case and have seized computers, electronic media and a collection of fraudulent documents.

The FBI said it is still trying to determine the scope of the smuggling ring, but agents believe that dozens of special interest illegal immigrants have been able to get New Mexico driver's licenses over the last several months.

New Mexico, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Oregon, Utah and Washington do not require drivers to prove legal status to obtain a license.

In 2003, Gov. Bill Richardson signed a measure into law that allowed foreign nationals — including those living illegally in the country — to obtain a driver's license. His office has said that one of the deciding factors in signing the bill was public safety.

Applicants for a New Mexico driver's license who don't have a Social Security number can present identification such as a tax identification number, a foreign passport or a Matricula Consular issued by the Mexican government.


More from The Santa Fe New Mexican

Sports

Director’s drive gives El Gancho Fitness visible, valuable boost

When Michael Polasek took on the job as the director of tennis at El Gancho Fitness, Swim and Racquetball Club, his appraisal of tennis at his new place of employment was grim. »Story

Pasatiempo

The circle will be unbroken

Charles MacKay became Santa Fe Opera's third general director on Oct. 1, 2008. Looked at one way, that means he'll have been on the job just 276 days when the 2009 season opens on Friday, July 3. On the other hand, there's an excellent case to be made that MacKay has been preparing for this position, sometimes on the job, for quite a bit longer. Try 40-some years. »Story

Health & Science

Nevada's nuclear secret

CENTRAL NEVADA TEST AREA, Nev. — At the center of a desolate valley in the middle of Nevada, more than a dozen miles from the nearest paved road, one of the few signs of human activity is a rusty steel well casing that juts oddly out of the desert floor. »Story

Links





Popular Searches

Powered by Local.com

Advertisement