Immigrant-smuggling boat drops 21 at Carlsbad State Beach in darkness, officials say
Twenty-one suspected illegal immigrants were arrested early this morning at Carlsbad State Beach, Calif., after U.S. Border Patrol agents spotted a smuggling boat bringing its passengers ashore, officials said.
The 21, all Mexican nationals, consisted of 15 men, five women, and a 16-year-old boy, officials said. Only three were wearing safety vests.
The boat, with two people aboard, was spotted leaving the beach and was not located, officials said.
The incident, which occurred about 2:30 a.m., is the latest in which smugglers appear to be dropping their passengers further north than in previous years, attempting to evade authorities.
-- Tony Perry in San Diego
EDITOR'S PICKS:
I guess we will have to extend the border fence???????
Posted by: giley1 | October 02, 2009 at 03:58 PM
Shoot on site, no deportation, no trials.
The message will be clear.
Posted by: pmg | October 02, 2009 at 04:47 PM
Border Patrol in California??? That's unusual. Must be a new Schwarzenegger/Obama policy. Where will these people be released now...San Diego instead of Los Angeles? Why bother? Amnesty will allow these freshly caught minimum wage workers to claim they were here for years anyway and they'll all be eligible to become citizens within a few weeks of their release. However, none will opt for citizenship since it would require them to pay income taxes and they will always be able to get amnesty in the future if they are forced to.
Posted by: Real | October 02, 2009 at 08:21 PM