Smuggling ring doesn't worry local chief

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Smuggling ring doesn't worry local chief Friday, August 20, 2004

Norman Miller and Liz Mineo Metrowest Daily News

FRAMINGHAM -- After two arrests within a month for alleged smuggling of illegal Brazilian immigrants into the area, police in Framingham, home to a large Brazilian population, said immigration is not something they worry about.
"The fact that illegal immigrants are here is not a priority of mine," said Framingham Police Chief Steven Carl. "I don't have the authority to arrest them. I don't have the resources, and we don't have the training for immigration law."
On Wednesday, two men driving an Oxford Tour van were arrested on the Mass Pike in Southborough and accused of taking illegal aliens from Dallas to Boston.
Jose Santos Bueno, 33, and Enrique Malagon-Lara, 42, drove as many as 14 Brazilian nationals for the Oxford Tour company, which specializes in human smuggling, according to federal agents. The immigrants face deportation, and Bueno and Malagon-Lara agreed to be held in federal custody in Boston without bail, the agents said.
It was the second smuggling bust connected to MetroWest. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents found another Oxford Tour van crammed with illegals May 28 at the Sullivan Square Orange Line T stop parking lot in Charlestown. The passengers were destined for locations around Boston including Framingham.
Community activists worry that ICE arrests target immigrants, rather than smugglers, and that they will not have an impact in reducing the flow of immigration to the United States.
"The government should stop the people who are taking advantage of those who come here looking for a better life," said Fausto da Rocha, executive director of Allston's Brazilian Immigrant Center. "People will continue to come here. It's not going to stop."
With growing unemployment and lack of opportunities back home, immigrants will continue to risk anything to come here, said da Rocha.
They will not be stopped, not even by the new powers the government has given to the Border Patrol to deport immigrants who cross the border illegally, da Rocha said. He said the immigrants should be given the chance to make their case before an immigration judge.
"You will risk anything to come here," said da Rocha. "Life is worse back home. People try to come back here even after they have been deported."
Carl said his main concern is whether they break the law or not.
"We police and enforce American law," said Carl. "My biggest concern is if crimes are up, calls will go up and our staffing is down."
Even if illegal immigrants are not responsible for a higher percentage of crimes than those here legally, just having the extra people in town adds to the workload.
"It drains your resources," said Carl. "When urban population increases, we deal with both the negatives and positives."
Carl said the most difficult situation is when the Brazilian community holds a celebration, such as for the World Cup soccer tournament, or if the Brazilian soccer team wins the gold medal in the Olympics.
"The spontaneous celebration is huge, and we manage the chaos," said Carl. "Sometimes that's all we can do. We're very limited. We contain them to one area.
"We can't just arrest people," said Carl. "We don't have the resources. We don't have the ability and we don't have the the desire to."

Smuggling ring doesn't worry local chief	Friday, August 20, 2004
Norman Miller and Liz Mineo	Metrowest Daily News
FRAMINGHAM -- After two arrests within a month for alleged smuggling of illegal Brazilian immigrants into the area, police in Framingham, home to a large Brazilian population, said immigration is not something they worry about. "The fact that illegal immigrants are here is not a priority of mine," said Framingham Police Chief Steven Carl. "I don't have the authority to arrest them. I don't have the resources, and we don't have the training for immigration law." On Wednesday, two men driving an Oxford Tour van were arrested on the Mass Pike in Southborough and accused of taking illegal aliens from Dallas to Boston. Jose Santos Bueno, 33, and Enrique Malagon-Lara, 42, drove as many as 14 Brazilian nationals for the Oxford Tour company, which specializes in human smuggling, according to federal agents. The immigrants face deportation, and Bueno and Malagon-Lara agreed to be held in federal custody in Boston without bail, the agents said. It was the second smuggling bust connected to MetroWest. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents found another Oxford Tour van crammed with illegals May 28 at the Sullivan Square Orange Line T stop parking lot in Charlestown. The passengers were destined for locations around Boston including Framingham. Community activists worry that ICE arrests target immigrants, rather than smugglers, and that they will not have an impact in reducing the flow of immigration to the United States. "The government should stop the people who are taking advantage of those who come here looking for a better life," said Fausto da Rocha, executive director of Allston's Brazilian Immigrant Center. "People will continue to come here. It's not going to stop." With growing unemployment and lack of opportunities back home, immigrants will continue to risk anything to come here, said da Rocha. They will not be stopped, not even by the new powers the government has given to the Border Patrol to deport immigrants who cross the border illegally, da Rocha said. He said the immigrants should be given the chance to make their case before an immigration judge. "You will risk anything to come here," said da Rocha. "Life is worse back home. People try to come back here even after they have been deported." Carl said his main concern is whether they break the law or not. "We police and enforce American law," said Carl. "My biggest concern is if crimes are up, calls will go up and our staffing is down." Even if illegal immigrants are not responsible for a higher percentage of crimes than those here legally, just having the extra people in town adds to the workload. "It drains your resources," said Carl. "When urban population increases, we deal with both the negatives and positives." Carl said the most difficult situation is when the Brazilian community holds a celebration, such as for the World Cup soccer tournament, or if the Brazilian soccer team wins the gold medal in the Olympics. "The spontaneous celebration is huge, and we manage the chaos," said Carl. "Sometimes that's all we can do. We're very limited. We contain them to one area. "We can't just arrest people," said Carl. "We don't have the resources. We don't have the ability and we don't have the the desire to."

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