Diversity Visa Lottery Scams: Part IV

What do I need to know about scams?

Scammers try to trick people who enter the Diversity Visa Lottery. Scammers might:

·                 charge you money to help you apply

·                 promise to increase your chance of being picked

·                 send you a message saying you won and ask for money.

If you remember how the Diversity Visa Lottery works, it will be hard for scammers to get your money.

·                 It is free to enter the Diversity Visa lottery at dvlottery.state.gov.

·                 The drawing is random. There is no way to increase your chance of winning.

·                 You can find out your status only at dvlottery.state.gov.

·                 You do not pay until you find out your entry was picked, and you go to the U.S. embassy or consulate in person for your appointment.

What should I do if I spot a scam?

If you suspect a scam, please report it to the Federal Trade Commission:

·                 Call 1-877-382-4357.

·                 Go to ftc.gov/complaint.

You can give as much information as you want. Investigators are happy for any information you give.

Diversity Visa Lottery Scams: Part III

What happens after I enter the Diversity Visa Lottery?

You enter the Diversity Visa Lottery at dvlottery.state.gov. Then the State Department gives you a confirmation number. Keep that number safe. You will need it to check your status.

Diversity Visa Lottery winners are picked at random by a computer. There is no way to increase your chance of being picked.

You can find out your status only at dv.lottery.state.gov. The State Department will never send you a letter or email to say you won. If you see that kind of message, it is a scam.

If your entry is picked, you will have to pay a fee. You pay it only when you go to the U.S. embassy or consulate for your appointment. The U.S. government will never ask you to send money in advance by check, money order, or wire transfer.

Diversity Visa Lottery Scams: Part II

How do I enter the Diversity Visa Lottery?

This is what you need to know:

• You can enter the Diversity Visa Lottery once a year. The Lottery is open for about a month in the fall.
• There is only one place to enter the Diversity Visa Lottery: dvlottery.state.gov. This State Department website has a form where you:
• answer questions
• give information about yourself, your spouse, and your children under 21
• submit digital photos of yourselves.
• It is free to enter the Diversity Visa Lottery.

You can enter once each year. If you enter the Diversity Visa Lottery more than once in a year, your entries will not count. Your spouse can enter separately if he or she qualifies.

If your entry is picked, you can include your spouse on your application, and children if they are single and under 21.

Guatemalan Alien Smugglers Sentenced

Two Guatemalan men were sentenced by a federal judge Monday, January 14, 2013, to lengthy prison terms for their roles in a hostage-taking conspiracy that resulted in the violent treatment of smuggled aliens held captive in a Mesa drop house.

Domingo Agustin-Simon, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell to 42 years in federal prison for conspiracy, hostage taking and brandishing a shotgun in connection with hostage taking. Leonardo Rabanales-Casia, 30, was sentenced at the same hearing to 25 years in prison for conspiracy and hostage taking.

The sentences follow the pair's October conviction by a federal jury on charges stemming from a probe led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

"These lengthy sentences serve not only to punish and deter such cruel and inhumane activity but also to protect the public from dangerous individuals that prey upon the vulnerabilities of their victims," said U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo.

"This case illustrates the ruthlessness and brutality of the human smuggling trade," said Matt Allen, special agent in charge of HSI Arizona. "The smugglers treated the people in the drop house as a mere business commodity, with no qualms about jeopardizing their lives in order to extort personal profit. Investigating these cases is a top priority for HSI, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to bring those who would choose to exploit people in this despicable way to justice."

Evidence presented at trial showed the defendants were part of an alien that smuggled aliens into the U.S. to a drop house in Mesa. In August 2011, HSI special agents and officers from the Arizona Department of Public Safety and the Phoenix Police Department went to the drop house and found more than 40 illegal aliens being held inside. Trial testimony revealed the smugglers used a shotgun to keep order in the house and threatened the aliens with physical harm and death in an effort to extort monetary payments from the aliens' families. One hostage was beaten by the smugglers and women in the drop house were sexually assaulted.

Four other co-defendants previously pleaded guilty in connection with their roles in the drop house and were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 24 months to eight years.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine D. Keller and Sean K. Lokey of the U.S. Attorney's Office-District of Arizona.

ICE Target Operation Arrests 39 Criminal Aliens and Immigration Fugitives

As part of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) ongoing commitment to prioritizing the removal of criminal aliens and egregious immigration law violators, 39 convicted criminal aliens, immigration fugitives and immigration violators were arrested during a two-day operation in Lexington.

This operation concluded Sunday, January 13, 2013, and was conducted by ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations teams from Louisville, Ky.

Of the 39 arrested, 36 had convictions for crimes such as: assault, possessing a concealed deadly weapon, hit and run, drunken driving, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, domestic violence, and drug possession. One of the convicted criminals was also an immigration fugitive who had been previously ordered to leave the country but failed to depart.

The three individuals arrested who did not have any criminal convictions had been previously removed and illegally re-entered the United States, making them an enforcement priority for ICE. Anyone who re-enters the United States after having been previously deported commits a felony punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison.

Of the 39 men arrested in Lexington, 38 are from Mexico, and one is from Honduras.

Following are summaries of two individuals arrested during this operation:

·                             A 38-year-old Mexican national has prior criminal convictions for possessing a controlled substance and assault causing bodily injury of a family member. He was deported in 2005 and illegally re-entered the United States. He was arrested Jan. 12 and remains in ICE custody pending removal.

·                             A 33-year-old Mexican national has prior criminal convictions for aggravated assault on a police officer, first-degree indecent exposure, and endangering the welfare of a child. He was arrested Jan. 13 and remains in ICE custody pending removal.

"Our focus on priority targets significantly improves the safety and security of communities in Lexington and throughout the state," said Ricardo Wong, field office director for ERO Chicago. "By targeting criminal aliens and egregious immigration violators, we ensure the best use of agency resources with a continued focus on public safety."

This enforcement action was spearheaded by ICE's National Fugitive Operations Program, which is responsible for investigating, locating, arresting and removing at-large criminal aliens and immigration fugitives.

ICE is focused on smart, effective immigration enforcement that targets serious criminal aliens who present the greatest risk to the security of our communities, such as those charged with or convicted of homicide, rape, robbery, kidnapping, major drug offenses and threats to national security. ICE also prioritizes the arrest and removal of those who game the immigration system, including immigration fugitives or criminal aliens who have been previously deported and illegally re-entered the country.

"Operation Sunflower" Identified 123 Victims of Child Sexual Exploitation

One hundred twenty-three victims of child sexual exploitation were identified by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents during an international operation aimed at rescuing victims and targeting individuals who own, trade and produce images of child pornography. Of that number, 44 children were directly rescued from their abusers and 79 were identified as either being exploited by others outside of their home or are now adults who were victimized as children.

HSI launched Operation Sunflower in November 2012 to commemorate the one-year anniversary in which the identification of a sunflower-shaped highway road sign led to the rescue of an 11-year-old girl in Kansas. Operation Sunflower was executed through the first week of December 2012, but victim identification and rescue efforts continue under HSI's Operation Predator.

"The sexual abuse of young children, often at the hands of people they trust, is a particular wrong," said ICE Director John Morton. "Whenever our investigations reveal the production and distribution of new child pornography online, we will do everything we can to rescue the victim and prosecute the abuser even if takes us years or around the world to do it. A relentless fight against child exploitation is the only answer."

HSI and partner law enforcement agencies arrested 245 individuals during the operation, which took place Nov. 1 to Dec. 7. Of the 123 victims, 110 were identified in 19 U.S. states.

Of the 123 victims identified during Operation Sunflower: five were under the age of 3, nine were ages 4 to 6; 21 were ages 7 to 9; 11 were ages 10 to 12; 38 were ages 13 to 15; and 15 were ages 16 to 17. Twenty-four of the victims identified are now adults who were victimized as children. Seventy were female and 53 were male.

HSI victim assistance specialists, located in offices around the country, provide direct assistance to victims and families, and work with both child and adult victims to provide referrals for services and resources in their area. The specialists remain involved during the investigation and often beyond the sentencing of the perpetrator.


Focusing on Victim Identification

In 2012, HSI special agents, working closely with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), partially identified multiple individuals across the country who were sexually abusing young children and taking photos or videos of the acts. Special agents worked with the Department of Justice and its Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section to issue national Jane and John Doe warrants to arrest these perpetrators and rescue their victims. The most recent case was solved two weeks ago in Florida.

Now, the public's help is being sought with any leads that can help provide clues in several cases and rescue more victims.

"We applaud our partners at ICE for their worldwide work in identifying these victims of child sexual exploitation and for helping to remove these children from extremely dangerous situations," said NCMEC CEO John Ryan. "We know that there's more work to be done. Anyone could know these victims, not knowing that they're being harmed. They could be your neighbors' children, your child's classmate, or even your own child. We thank Director Morton and everyone at ICE for their strong commitment to rescuing the most vulnerable of victims."


Seeking 'Jane and John Doe' and Two Other Unknown Suspects

On Monday, December 31, 2012, HSI special agents in Los Angeles obtained a Jane and John Doe warrant based on a longstanding, unsolved case involving a widely distributed series of child pornography images. The photographs, which authorities believe were taken about 11 years ago, depict a male and female adult sexually molesting a girl who looks to be about 13 years old at the time. Although the male suspect's face has been purposely obscured by an unknown person, the female suspect's face can be seen in a number of the images. John Doe appears to be a white male, 40 to 50 years old; Jane Doe appears to be a white female, 35 to 45 years old. The suspects would now be approximately 11 years older. 

The female suspect has several tattoos, including: a black tattoo on her right hip resembling a butterfly; a tattoo on her right shoulder blade depicting the outline of a curled up cat; a tattoo with words across the top of her left wrist; and a tattoo of unknown design on the upper portion of her left breast.

Based upon detailed forensic analysis, investigators suspect the abuse depicted in the images may have occurred in Los Angeles, possibly in the San Fernando Valley-area. HSI special agents in Los Angeles have interviewed dozens of individuals seeking further leads in the case, but they have yet to confirm the suspects' or victim's identities. Although the victim is likely an adult now, HSI continues to investigate the case in the hope that the perpetrators can be located and prosecuted, preventing the abuse of future victims.

The sexual abuse images in this case were first discovered by HSI special agents in Chicago in 2007 in an unrelated child pornography investigation. The material was submitted to NCMEC's Child Victim Identification Program, which determined the victim had not yet been identified and could be in danger of ongoing sexual exploitation. After determining there was probable cause to believe that the abuse occurred in California in approximately 2001, NCMEC referred the case to HSI Los Angeles for further investigation.

The images of two other unknown suspects, wanted for questioning in other unsolved child pornography investigations, are also being publicized. Anyone with information or tips that can assist in these investigations is encouraged to call 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or visit www.ICE.gov/tips. 

Tips may be reported anonymously.

The identity and whereabouts of the victims and the perpetrators in these cases remain unknown.


The Sunflower Case

Operation Sunflower is named after the first case conducted one year ago under the agency's newly created Victim Identification Program. Operation Sunflower commemorates the one-year anniversary of this first successful rescue under the new program.

The Sunflower case began in November 2011 when Danish law enforcement officials shared with HSI their discovery of material and posts on a chat board indicating that a 16-year-old boy was planning to rape an 11-year-old girl. The suspect was soliciting advice on a pedophile board and posting images of the girl. One image held a clue that proved to be invaluable to investigators: a yellow road sign visible from the window of a moving vehicle. The road sign depicted a sunflower graphic that was unique to the State of Kansas.

For days, HSI special agents drove in pairs along Kansas highways, seeking a comparison between the images in the photos and the actual locations. Just 13 days after receiving the material, and by combining sophisticated photo forensics with traditional law enforcement methods, special agents located the residence in a small Kansas town. These efforts made it possible for law enforcement to intervene and rescue the girl before she was further victimized.


Additional Statistics and Information

In fiscal year 2012, 292 victims were identified or rescued as a direct result of HSI child pornography investigations. Fiscal year 2012 is the first year in which HSI tracked the number of victims rescued as part of its child sexual exploitation investigations. This number does not include the hundreds of victims rescued overseas by foreign law enforcement agencies as a result of HSI cases and leads.

Also in fiscal year 2012, a record number of child predators – 1,655 – were arrested on criminal charges related to these types of investigations. Since 2003, HSI has initiated more than 24,000 cases and arrested 8,720 individuals for these types of crimes. HSI arrested 1,335 predators in 2011 and 912 in 2010.

Operation Sunflower was conducted as part of Operation Predator, a nationwide HSI initiative to protect children from sexual predators, including those who travel overseas for sex with minors, Internet child pornographers, criminal alien sex offenders and child sex traffickers. HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators.

Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to NCMEC, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.

HSI is a founding member and chair of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse. NCMEC is also a member of the VGT.

TPS Re-Registration Period Extended for Haitians

On Thursday, December 27, 2012, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced an extension of the re-registration period for Haitian nationals who have already been granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and seek to maintain that status for an additional 18 months. Given the impact Hurricane Sandy has had on regions where Haitians reside, the re-registration period is extended through Jan. 29, 2013.

Haitian TPS beneficiaries are strongly encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Under this extension, USCIS also will accept applications from eligible individuals who have already applied after the close of the re-registration period on Nov. 30, 2012 and will continue to accept applications through Jan. 29, 2013.

The initial, 60-day re-registration period was established after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced in October 2012 an 18-month extension of the TPS designation of Haiti, from Jan. 23, 2013, through July 22, 2014. 

Approximately 60,000 Haitian nationals (and people having no nationality who last habitually resided in Haiti) are eligible for TPS re-registration. TPS is not available to Haitian nationals who entered the United States after Jan. 12, 2011.

In the Oct. 1, 2012 Federal Register notice announcing the extension of TPS for Haiti, DHS also automatically extended—by six months, through July 22, 2013—the validity of Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) for eligible Haitian TPS beneficiaries. This will allow sufficient time for eligible TPS beneficiaries whose re-registration is timely to receive an EAD without any lapse in employment authorization.

To re-register, TPS beneficiaries must submit Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status, and Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization. Individuals seeking to re-register do not need to pay the Form I-821 application fee. However, a biometric services fee (or a fee-waiver request) is required for all re-registrants 14 years of age and older. All re-registrants seeking employment authorization through July 22, 2014, must submit the Form I-765 fee (or a fee-waiver request). Re-registrants who do not want employment authorization are not required to submit the I-765 fee but must still submit a completed Form I-765. Failure to submit the required filing fees or a properly documented fee-waiver request will result in the rejection of the re-registration application.

A notice posted in the Federal Register contains more details on the re-registration period’s extension. More information can be found by visiting the USCIS Web site at www.uscis.gov/tps or by calling the USCIS National Customer Service Center toll-free at 1-800-375-5283. TPS forms are available free of charge through www.uscis.gov/forms and the toll-free USCIS Forms line at 1-800-870-3676.

ICE Announces 2012 Deportation Statistics; Announces New Detainer Guidance

On Friday, December 21, 2012, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director John Morton announced the agency's fiscal year (FY) 2012 year-end removal numbers, highlighting trends that underscore the administration's focus on removing from the country convicted criminals and other individuals that fall into priority areas for enforcement.

To further focus ICE resources on the most serious criminal offenders, on Friday, December 21, 2012, ICE also issued new national detainer guidance. This guidance limits the use of detainers to individuals who meet the department's enforcement priorities and restricts the use of detainers against individuals arrested for minor misdemeanor offenses such as traffic offenses and other petty crimes, helping to ensure that available resources are focused on apprehending felons, repeat offenders and other ICE priorities. It is applicable to all ICE enforcement programs, including Secure Communities.

"Smart and effective immigration enforcement relies on setting priorities for removal and executing on those priorities," said Director Morton. "In order to further enhance our ability to focus enforcement efforts on serious offenders, we are changing who ICE will issue detainers against. While the FY 2012 removals indicate that we continue to make progress in focusing resources on criminal and priority aliens, with more convicted criminals being removed from the country than ever before, we are constantly looking for ways to ensure that we are doing everything we can to utilize our resources in a way that maximizes public safety."

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano has directed ICE to focus its resources on key priorities in all aspects of its immigration enforcement efforts. ICE's implementation of this directive includes the new national detainer policy announced Friday, December 21, 2012, as well as the continued use of investigations and programs like Operation Cross Check that target criminal aliens and ICE's expanded collaboration with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to remove recent border crossers.

ICE priorities include the identification and removal of those that have broken criminal laws, threats to national security, recent border crossers and repeat violators of immigration law. Overall, in FY 2012 ICE's Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations removed 409,849 individuals. Of these, approximately 55 percent, or 225,390 of the people removed, were convicted of felonies or misdemeanors – almost double the removal of criminals in FY 2008. This includes 1,215 aliens convicted of homicide; 5,557 aliens convicted of sexual offenses; 40,448 aliens convicted for crimes involving drugs; and 36,166 aliens convicted for driving under the influence.

ICE continues to make progress with regard to other categories prioritized for removal. Some 96 percent of all ICE's removals fell into a priority category – a record high.

To support DHS' efforts to secure our nation's borders, ICE prioritizes the identification and removal of recent border crossers and conducts targeted enforcement operations with the U.S. Border Patrol. The historic results along the Southwest Border are attributable to the joint efforts of U.S. Border Patrol agents and ICE officers and agents, and the emphasis ICE places on the removal of recent border crossers.

As part of the effort to ensure that the immigration system can focus its resources on priority cases, ICE has also implemented policies and processes that ensure that those enforcing immigration laws make appropriate use of the discretion they have in deciding the types of individuals prioritized for removal from the country. In addition, ICE has also decided not to renew any of its agreements with state and local law enforcement agencies that operate task forces under the 287(g) program. ICE has concluded that other enforcement programs, including Secure Communities, are a more efficient use of resources for focusing on priority cases.

ICE will continue to analyze its policies and the results of its programs, making improvements where necessary to meet our priorities.

ICE Target Operation Arrests 17 Criminal Aliens and Immigration Fugitives

As part of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) ongoing commitment to prioritizing the removal of criminal aliens and egregious immigration law violators, 17 convicted criminal aliens, immigration fugitives and immigration violators were arrested during a three-day operation in the Madison area.

This operation concluded Sunday, December 9, 2012, and was conducted by ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations teams in Milwaukee.

All 17 arrested had prior convictions for crimes, such as: assault, battery, drunken driving, child abuse causing serious injury, felony stalking, false imprisonment and theft. One of those arrested was an immigration fugitive who had been previously ordered to leave the country but failed to depart; five others had been previously deported and illegally re-entered the United States, which is a felony.

Following is the nationality breakdown of the 17 men arrested: Mexico (15), Honduras (1) and Nicaragua (1). Nine arrests occurred in Madison; additional arrests were made in the following Wisconsin communities: Fitchburg, Fort Atkinson, Middleton, Sun Prairie, Watertown, Waukesha and Windsor.

Following are summaries of three individuals arrested during this operation:

·                             A 37-year-old Mexican national has prior criminal convictions for child abuse causing serious injury and criminal damage to property. He was previously deported to Mexico in 2000 and illegally re-entered the United States. He was arrested Dec. 7 near his Waukesha residence and faces federal prosecution for illegally re-entering the United States after being deported.

·                             A 35-year-old Mexican national has prior criminal convictions for petty theft, hit and run of an attended vehicle, criminal damage to property, misappropriation of an ID and escape. He was previously deported to Mexico three times: in 2000, 2002 and 2009. He was arrested Dec. 7 in Ft. Atkinson and remains in ICE custody pending removal. He may face federal prosecution for illegally re-entering the United States after deportation.

·                             A 24-year-old Mexican national has prior criminal convictions for battery, bail jumping and disorderly conduct. He was previously deported to Mexico in 2007 and illegally re-entered the United States. He was arrested Dec. 8 at his Madison residence and remains in ICE custody pending removal. He may face federal prosecution for illegally re-entering the United States after being deported.

"ERO is committed to improving the safety of our communities by arresting and removing convicted criminal aliens and egregious immigration violators who have no regard for U.S. laws," said Ricardo Wong, field office director for ERO Chicago. "By prioritizing our efforts on criminal aliens, we significantly improve public safety while making the best use of our resources."

This enforcement action was spearheaded by ICE's National Fugitive Operations Program (NFOP), which is responsible for investigating, locating, arresting and removing at-large criminal aliens and immigration fugitives. ICE received substantial assistance from the Wisconsin Department of Justice's Division of Criminal Investigation, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

ICE is focused on smart, effective immigration enforcement that targets serious criminal aliens who present the greatest risk to the security of our communities, such as those charged with or convicted of homicide, rape, robbery, kidnapping, major drug offenses and threats to national security. ICE also prioritizes the arrest and removal of those who game the immigration system including immigration fugitives or criminal aliens who have been previously deported and illegally re-entered the country.

HSI Dismantles Human Smuggling Ring During Routine Traffic Stop

It began with a routine traffic stop in Tampa, Fla. On February 4, 2012, just after 5 p.m., Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office deputies pulled over 21-year-old Kathleen Roberson. Not only did she not have a valid driver's license, but she was also transporting five illegal aliens in her Kia Sorrento.

Roberson and one of her passengers, Jessica Roland, were transporters for a much larger human smuggling organization that operated out of Arizona and Alabama. The organization transported illegal aliens to final destinations throughout the United States.

The sheriff's office and the U.S. Border Patrol notified U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) about the incident. Two days later, HSI initiated an investigation to determine who Roberson and Roland were working for.

"When conducting these investigations, we look for the root of the problem. We were determined to dismantle the larger criminal organization behind the smuggling activity," said Sue McCormick, special agent in charge of HSI Tampa.

Further investigation led HSI to the organization's leadership, including brothers Jose Bartolo Calixto-Moran and Pedro Calixto-Moran, and Pedro's girlfriend Marilu Ramirez-Bartolo. The brothers and Ramirez-Bartolo were all Mexican citizens illegally residing in the United States.

"Human smugglers completely disregard the value of human lives. They transport people across the border like commodities, often in squalid conditions," said McCormick. "We estimate this organization was transporting nearly 80 illegal aliens each month from Phoenix to final destinations across the United States."

As a result of HSI's investigation, the court sentenced Pedro Calixto-Moran to 71 months in prison, Jose Calixto-Moran to 41 months in prison and Ramirez-Bartolo to 27 months in prison for their roles in the human smuggling organization. Roberto Jimenez-Delgado was also sentenced to 33 months in prison for transporting illegal aliens. Roberson and Roland cooperated with the investigation, and as a result, were sentenced to time served.

Kidnapping Suspect Deported to Mexico

A Mexican national wanted for kidnapping in Mexico was escorted out of the United States by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers Friday, November 30, 2012, and turned over to Mexican law enforcement officials.

Joel Quintero-Cisneros, 30, is wanted on an outstanding arrest warrant in Mexico for aggravated kidnapping. According to the warrant, dated March 13, the crime occurred May 6, 2011, in Santa Gertrudis in the Mexican state of Oaxaca at approximately 9 p.m. Quintero-Cisneros, armed with a .38 caliber handgun, and two co-conspirators who have already been sentenced, kidnapped the victim – a mother of three young children – at her home and demanded 1.5 million pesos (approximately $116,000) in ransom from the victim's relatives.

"Mr. Quintero-Cisneros will now have to face justice for this alleged horrific crime," said M. Yvonne Evans, field office director for ERO Washington. "My office is committed to working closely with our foreign law enforcement partners to remove and return individuals like this, who are wanted for violent crimes in their home countries."

Quintero-Cisneros entered the United States illegally on an unknown date and at an unknown location. On Aug. 22, ERO's fugitive operations team apprehended Quintero-Cisneros at his residence in Danville, Va., based on his illegal status in the United States.

On Nov. 1, an immigration judge in Arlington, Va., granted Quintero-Cisneros voluntary departure under safeguards. Due to the active warrant in Mexico, ERO escorted him back to his home country and turned him over to the custody of Mexican law enforcement officials.

Quintero-Cisneros was flown via an ERO Air Operations Unit (IAO) charter flight to Valley International Airport in Harlingen, Texas, and then escorted by ERO San Antonio's special response team to the Gateway International Bridge Port of Entry in Brownsville, Texas. Prior to his removal, Quintero-Cisneros was being held in ERO custody at the Hampton Roads Regional Jail in Portsmouth, Va.

Since 2006, the IAO Unit, headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., has supported ERO by providing mass air transportation and removal coordination services to ERO field offices nationwide. Staffed by ERO officers, these air charters enable the agency to repatriate large groups of deportees in an efficient, expeditious and humane manner.

Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 500 foreign fugitives from the United States who were being sought in their native countries for serious crimes, including kidnapping, rape and murder. ERO works with ICE's Office of International Affairs, foreign consular offices in the United States, and Interpol to identify foreign fugitives illegally present in the country.

USCIS Announces Transitional Worker Limit for Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

On Friday, November 30, 2012, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that the fiscal year (FY) 2013 limit for Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI)-Only Transitional Workers (CW-1) is 15,000. The Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008 (CNRA) requires an annual reduction of the number of CW-1s, the nonimmigrant category for these transitional workers. On 11/30/2012, DHS published a notice in the Federal Register announcing this decision.

Under the CNRA, the CNMI became part of the United States for purposes of immigration law on Nov. 28, 2009. The CNRA included a transition period to eventually phase-out the CNMI’s nonresident worker program and transition to the U.S. federal immigration system. The CW-1 transitional worker program allows foreign nationals who are ineligible for any existing employment-based nonimmigrant category under the Immigration and Nationality Act work in the CNMI during the transition period. An annual reduction in the total number of CW-1s granted each year will lead to the elimination of the CW nonimmigrant classification by the end of the transition period. The CW program will end Dec. 31, 2014, unless it is extended by the U.S. Secretary of Labor.  

For FY 2012, the numerical limitation for CW-1s was set at 22,416, during which employers in the CNMI filed Form I-129CW petitions for more than 12,000 transitional workers. DHS has set the CW-1 limit for FY 2013 at 15,000 to meet the CNMI’s existing labor market needs and provide opportunity for potential growth, while reducing the numerical limitation as required by the CNRA. Petitions requesting a work start date in FY 2013 (between Oct. 1, 2012, and Sept. 30, 2013) will be counted towards the 15,000 limit. 

This notice does not affect the status of current CW-1 workers unless their employer files for an extension of their current authorized period of stay or they seek to change CW-1 employer. The numerical limitation only applies to CW-1 principals and does not directly affect the status of a person currently holding CW-2 status as the spouse or minor child of a CW-1 nonimmigrant. However, CW-2 nonimmigrants may be indirectly affected because their status depends upon that of the principal CW-1.

Columbian Criminal Defense Attorney and Government Employee Arrested for Selling Confidential U.S. Extradition Information to Drug Traffickers

Early Friday, November 16, 2012, in Bogotá, two Colombian nationals were arrested for obstructing justice by selling sensitive and confidential U.S. law enforcement information to a narcotics trafficker, concerning prosecutions in New York. The arrests are the result of an extensive investigation led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Freddy Mauricio Tellez-Buitrago and Adriana Gonzalez-Marquez were arrested Friday, November 16, 2012. Tellez-Buitrago is employed as an administrative services assistant at the Office of the Attorney General of Colombia, International Affairs. Gonalez-Marquez, a former prosecutor at the attorney general's office, is now a Colombian criminal defense attorney. The indictment charging the defendants with obstruction of justice was unsealed Nov. 16 in New York.

The defendants' arrests resulted from an HSI investigation which revealed that Tellez-Buitrago had specialized access to law enforcement materials, including requests from the U.S. government for the extradition of alleged Colombian drug traffickers. Typically, the Colombian authorities treat such extradition requests as sensitive and confidential until the arrest of the individual whose extradition is sought. Tellez-Buitrago is charged with accepting bribes from Gonzalez-Marquez in exchange for leaking documents relating to U.S. extradition requests for narcotics traffickers. Gonzalez-Marquez, in turn, allegedly sold the information to a narcotics trafficker for $30,000.

"The defendants allegedly abused their positions of trust by conspiring to sell confidential and law enforcement sensitive documents to criminal organizations," said James T. Hayes Jr., special agent in charge of HSI New York. "This betrayal jeopardizes the integrity of the criminal justice system and threatens the safety of federal agents in the United States and Colombia. The arrests of Gonzalez-Marquez and Tellez-Buitrago are a culmination of the joint efforts between HSI, the Drug Enforcement Administration and Colombian authorities to root out those individuals with the potential to undermine an international investigation."

"Extradition requests are part of the fabric of international criminal law, and contain some of the most sensitive information transmitted between countries," said U.S. Attorney Loretta E. Lynch, Eastern District of New York. "The defendants are charged with leaking this sensitive and confidential intelligence information in pursuit of dollars and pesos. To satisfy their own greed, the defendants attempted to compromise the judicial process, obstructing justice here and in Colombia, and placing the lives of law enforcement personnel and potential witnesses in jeopardy. They plotted to capitalize on the borders that divide our countries. But the defendants did not anticipate the international cooperation of law enforcement in the United States and Colombia. We will continue to take every action necessary to ensure that the international criminal justice system is never corrupted."

"Turning his back on our justice system, Tellez-Buitrago allegedly used his clerical position to provide confidential information in exchange for cash," said Brian Crowell, special agent in charge of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) New York. "Had it not been for our diligent investigators, this information could have jeopardized U.S. and Colombian law enforcement missions. Tellez-Buitrago and Gonzalez-Marquez's alleged criminal acts would have facilitated drug trafficking organizations attempts to poison our communities."

If convicted, Tellez-Buitrago and Gonzalez-Marquez each face up to 20 years in federal prison.
This investigation was led by HSI, with the assistance of the DEA, Colombian National Police and the Office of the Attorney General of Colombia.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Soumya Dayananda, Eastern District of New York, is prosecuting this case on behalf of the U.S. government.

Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Alien Smuggling Scheme that Resulted in Fatality

A south Texas man pleaded guilty Wednesday, November 14, 2012, to alien smuggling and harboring that resulted in the death of a 24-year-old Mexican national in September 2011, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas.

The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Lewey Martinez, 31, of Falfurrias, pleaded guilty Nov. 14 to alien smuggling and harboring before Senior U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack. The government detailed that for five years, Martinez coordinated transporting aliens around the U.S. Border Patrol Checkpoint in Falfurrias. On the evening of Sept. 15, 2011, Martinez arranged for about 20 illegal aliens to hike around the checkpoint with the assistance of brush guides. After walking around the checkpoint, the aliens were driven to a stash house on Martinez's property.

Shortly after the group's arrival, two brush guides drove to the stash house with an additional alien who died from exposure and dehydration. Martinez and two others loaded the victim's body into a pickup truck and drove it to a public intersection. Martinez then called the emergency operator from a payphone and directed police to the body.

Following his arrest, Martinez admitted his role in the smuggling operation and his involvement in disposing the body.

Martinez faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced Jan. 25. He will remain in federal custody pending sentencing.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey D. Preston, Southern District of Texas, prosecuted the case.

Mexican National Sentenced for Illegal Re-entry

A Mexican national was sentenced Friday, November 2, 2012, to 26 months in federal prison and two years of supervised release for illegal re-entry into the United States, following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers.

After Mario Estrella, 29, completes his prison sentence, he will be turned over to ERO for removal from the United States.

According to court documents, Estrella was convicted Nov. 17, 2004, of throwing a deadly missile at or into an occupied vehicle, a felony in Florida. He was deported to Mexico Dec. 17, 2009. Estrella re-entered the United States at an unknown place and date.

On May 13, the ERO Miami Interoperability Response Center filed an immigration detainer on Estrella with Florida's Orange County Jail. ERO officers interviewed and fingerprinted Estrella May 14. ERO Violent Criminal Alien Section officers arrested Estrella July 2 for illegally re-entering the United States without permission.

He was indicted by a federal grand jury July 25 and pleaded guilty Aug. 16.

ICE is focused on smart, effective immigration enforcement that targets serious criminal aliens who present the greatest risk to the security of our communities. ICE also prioritizes the arrest and removal of those who game the immigration system including immigration fugitives or criminal aliens who have been previously deported and illegally re-entered the country.

ICE Fines 12 Connecticut Companies for Illegal Employees and Employment Violations

Following an investigation and audit of Form I-9 documents by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), 12 Connecticut employers were fined a total of $132,584.25 in fiscal year (FY) 2012 for various employment violations.

The inspection of the employers' documents is part of HSI's worksite enforcement strategy that launched in 2009 to reduce the demand for illegal employment and protect employment opportunities for the nation's lawful workforce. This strategy focuses agency resources on the investigation and audit of employers suspected of cultivating illegal workplaces by hiring workers who are not authorized to work.

Employers are required to complete and retain a Form I-9 for each individual they hire. This form requires employers to review and record the individual's identity and employment eligibility document(s) and determine whether the document(s) reasonably appears to be genuine and related to the individual. Additionally, an employer must ensure that the employee provides certain information regarding his or her eligibility to work, on the Form I-9.

Fines in Connecticut in FY 2012 include:

·                             Acranom Masonry Inc. of Middlefield was fined $4,500;

·                             Calabro Cheese Corp. of East Haven was fined $45,000;

·                             Contour Landscaping Company Inc. of Stamford was fined $8,104;

·                             Gourmet Heaven Inc. of New Haven was fined $5,891;

·                             John J. Masi Company Inc. of Bridgeport was fined $3,276;

·                             Kingswood Kitchens Company Inc. of Danbury was fined $12,000;

·                             Leed-Himmel Industries Inc. of Hamden was fined $2,241.25;

·                             Melissa & Doug LLC of Wilton was fined $1,386;

·                             Prostar Inc. of Farmington was fined $10,472;

·                             Quality Sales LLC of Hartford was fined $2,722;

·                             Superior Plastics Extrusion Company Inc., aka Impact Plastics, of Putnam was fined $34,000; and

·                             Villa Brava Grocery LLC of Hartford was fined $2,992.

"These settlements serve as a reminder to employers that HSI will continue to hold them accountable for hiring and maintaining a legal and compliant workforce," said Bruce M. Foucart, special agent in charge of HSI Boston. Foucart oversees HSI throughout New England. "We encourage employers to take the employment verification process seriously, as we expand the number of audits we are conducting throughout Connecticut each year. My agency will continue to focus its attention on employers that are knowingly employing illegal workers and will continue to target specific industries and businesses known or alleged to hire illegals."

During FY 2012, HSI conducted 18 inspections of employers' I-9 documents in Connecticut, an increase over the 14 inspections conducted in FY 2011, seven in FY 2010 and one in FY 2009. In FY 2011, HSI issued only one fine to a Connecticut company. PCC Technology Group of Bloomfield was fined $15,000.


HSI worksite investigations

Effective worksite enforcement plays an important role in the fight against illegal immigration. HSI has developed a comprehensive worksite enforcement strategy that promotes national security, protects critical infrastructure and targets employers who violate employment laws or engage in abuse or exploitation of workers.

An effective worksite enforcement strategy must address both employers who knowingly hire illegal workers, as well as the workers themselves. In worksite cases, HSI investigators adhere to high investigative standards, including the following:

·                             HSI will look for evidence of the mistreatment of workers, along with evidence of trafficking, smuggling, harboring, visa fraud, identification document fraud, money laundering and other such criminal conduct; and

·                             HSI will obtain indictments, criminal arrests or search warrants, or a commitment from a U.S. attorney's office to prosecute the targeted employer before arresting employees for civil immigration violations at a worksite.

HSI also works with the private sector to educate employers about their responsibilities to hire only authorized workers and how to accurately verify employment eligibility, through such tools as the IMAGE program.


IMAGE program

Undocumented workers create vulnerabilities in today's marketplace by presenting false documents to gain employment, completing applications for fraudulent benefits and stealing identities of legal United States workers. To combat this, ICE initiated the ICE Mutual Agreement between Government and Employers (IMAGE) program in 2006. As part of the IMAGE program, ICE provides employers with education and training on proper hiring procedures, including use of employment screening tools such as E-Verify. IMAGE certified employers also undergo an audit of their I-9 forms to ensure current employees are eligible to work in the United States.

Employers that are certified with ICE through the IMAGE program pledge to maintain a secure and stable workforce and curtail the employment of unauthorized workers through outreach and education. ICE recently revamped IMAGE, simplifying program requirements.


E-Verify

Through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) E-Verify employment eligibility verification program, employers can verify that newly hired employees are eligible to work in the United States. This Internet-based system is available throughout the nation and is free to employers. It provides an automated link to the Social Security Administration database and DHS immigration records.