Wednesday, December 22, 2004

Officers: Illegals crossing Huachucas are no safer in wintertime

Illegal immigration is in the news again as border agents warn that the dangers of crossing during the winter is no better than during the summer.

Sierra Vista Herald: Local News: "FORT HUACHUCA - Trails in the Huachuca Mountains are used by illegal immigrants and many of them do not realize that this time of year cold weather is an uncompromising killer. One would think that coyotes, or people smugglers, could find easier paths for their paying clients to cross into the United States during the winter months, but the mountainous terrain in the western part of Cochise County remains a favorite avenue north, said Ron Bellavia, who heads the U.S. Border Patrol's Search, Trauma and Rescue team in the agency's Tucson Sector. For the past few years the county has had nearly half of all the illegal immigrants apprehended in the sector. Also in the past the county has recorded a number of deaths, due to exposure, both heat and cold."

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