DENNIS
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State Dep't priority: Catching passport imposters
State Dep't priority: Catching passport imposters
By Elizabeth Aguilera
Sign-on San Diego
Tuesday, February 8, 2011 at 5:07 p.m.
Twelve people were arrested for using fraudulently obtained or altered U.S. passports or visas during a two-day operation at the Calexico port of
entry recently.
The Operation was coordinated by the Diplomatic Security Service, the law enforcement arm of the U.S. State Department, which has agents stationed at
the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
“The gold standard is the U.S. Passport,” said Scott Campbell, resident agent in charge of the Diplomatic Security services San Diego office. “It
enables you to live here, it enables you to certain benefits, it allows you to cross the border.”
“Operation Linebacker,” took place Feb. 1-2, in conjunction with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern
District of California. The Operation confiscated five valid U.S. passports and seven B1/B2 Laser Visa Border Crossing Cards. Imposters could face up
to 10 years in prison.
Customs and Border Protection officers encounter document fraud on a daily basis and seize thousands of documents annually including passports, visas,
birth certificates and drivers licenses, said Billy Whitford, director of the Calexico Port of Entry.
In fiscal year 2009 Customs and Border Protection in San Diego seized 21,280 fraudulent documents. From Oct. 1 2009 through April 30, 2010 The San
Ysidro port of entry confiscated 1,440 U.S. passports and 8,641 border crossing and legal permanent resident cards.
The special operation with DSS provided outside support for investigations into the document fraud and prosecution of nearly every case, Whitford
said. Typically border officers process these cases for removal, hearing or prosecution.
Document fraud has been on the rise since it became mandatory for all border crossers to present documentation of U.S. residency in 2009. That year
document fraud rose 12 percent nationally compared to 2008, Whitford said.
“Partnerships like the one with DSS are crucial,” Whitford said. “They provide investigative support and help facilitate the cases.”
Last year the Diplomatic Security Service office tallied 271 arrests, 40 to 50 of those were related to application fraud away from the border and the
rest of the arrests were made at Ports of Entry, according to DSS data. Application fraud entails the use of a fake birth certificate or other
document to obtain a passport. In 2009 the agency logged 194 arrests related to passport and visa fraud and the year prior 152 arrests were made.
The vast majority of the documents are lost or stolen and then sold through document brokers for $2,200 to $3,000, according to DSS. If a passport or
visa has been reported stolen or lost a red flag would alert the officer when the document is used but few Americans report the theft or loss of these
documents so officers must be scrutinizing, Campbell said.
Seizing passports at the border also prevents the imposter from using the valid passport to obtain other documents such as birth certificates and
drivers licenses in a reverse form of identity theft.
The partnership was created in 2008 through a pilot program focused on visa and passport fraud at the border. The program was formalized in 2009 with
a satellite office and three permanent agents at the San Ysidro border.
“We add a little extra focus and assist with arrests,” Campbell said. “It’s manpower intensive to do long interviews and transport and arrest.”
Last June another short-term operation by Diplomatic Security Services and Customs and Border Protection resulted in 108 arrests for passport and visa
fraud.
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DENNIS
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“The gold standard is the U.S. Passport,” said Scott Campbell, resident agent in charge of the Diplomatic Security services San Diego office. “It
enables you to live here, it enables you to certain benefits, it allows you to cross the border.”
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Can anybody begin to understand what this person is saying? Does your Passport enable you to live in the US?
Does it allow you to cross the border?
We pay good money to hire marooons to say things like this.
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Woooosh
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I was reading on another blog this morning that the "renting" of USA laser visas and passports is a thriving industry in TJ. If you look close
enough, you have a shot making it across.
\"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing\"
1961- JFK to Canadian parliament (Edmund Burke)
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tjBill
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| Quote: |
The vast majority of the documents are lost or stolen and then sold through document brokers for $2,200 to $3,000, according to DSS.
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So you're US passport is worth 2K - 3K for a thief. Carrying it is like putting 2K cash in your wallet.
I use my CA drivers license as ID in MX. Its also easier to replace if lost.
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nbacc
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Is that why they asked me to take my sunglasses off when I came north through the border at Calexico? I did not mind but it was a first for all the
times I have come through. Nancy
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Woooosh
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| Quote: | Originally posted by nbacc
Is that why they asked me to take my sunglasses off when I came north through the border at Calexico? I did not mind but it was a first for all the
times I have come through. Nancy |
Yup, a visual check to your passport photo. We always take our sunglasses off, wind all the windows down and turn down the stereo when we pull up to
the booth. It doesn't hurt to be friendly and say hello and to look them in the eye either.
\"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing\"
1961- JFK to Canadian parliament (Edmund Burke)
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durrelllrobert
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when my US passport, along with a bunch of other stuff, was stolen from my car in MX and I reported it to PGJE the first thing they asked me was 'how
much did you sell it for?". when I reported it to US Immigration they just replaced it without asking anything.
Bob Durrell
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Bajahowodd
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Woooosh
| Quote: | Originally posted by nbacc
Is that why they asked me to take my sunglasses off when I came north through the border at Calexico? I did not mind but it was a first for all the
times I have come through. Nancy |
Yup, a visual check to your passport photo. We always take our sunglasses off, wind all the windows down and turn down the stereo when we pull up to
the booth. It doesn't hurt to be friendly and say hello and to look them in the eye either. |
Doing as Woooosh says will reduce the possibility of being sent to secondary. Sure, there are many factors involved. But eliminating a few just
increases your chances of being waved on through.
That said, two years ago we returned from a Baja trip and were obligated to turn in our leased Toyota a couple of days later. I cannot say for sure,
but inasmuch as I used to keep our passports in the drivers side door pocket, we soon found that we no longer had passports. Guessing that some
detailer at Power Toyota made a killing on selling them.
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