U.S. Attorney’s Office reports hundreds of reentry and smuggling cases filed between Sept. 29 and Nov. 14

Organ Mountain News report

ALBUQUERQUE - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico filed hundreds of immigration and border-related cases during the seven-week federal government shutdown, according to new enforcement statistics released Friday.

Between Sept. 29 and Nov. 14, prosecutors brought the following charges:

• 329 people were charged with illegal reentry after deportation under 8 U.S.C. 1326
• 38 were charged with human smuggling under 8 U.S.C. 1324
• 240 were charged with improper entry under 8 U.S.C. 1325
• 340 were charged with improper entry and violations connected to the newly established National Defense Area in New Mexico, including 18 U.S.C. 1382 and 50 U.S.C. 797

Prosecutors said many defendants charged under 8 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions, including drug trafficking, child sexual abuse, aggravated kidnapping, DUI, aggravated assault, conspiracy, larceny, human smuggling and other federal offenses.

The cases were brought in cooperation with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, along with assistance from other federal, state and county agencies.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said the figures reflect only cases processed through federal court, and do not include people handled solely through administrative immigration procedures.

The district covers all 33 New Mexico counties and 180 miles of international border. Prosecutors in Albuquerque and Las Cruces work with federal, state and local partners to pursue immigration-related and other federal crimes.