New Mexico Police Investigate Illegal Immigrants Entering by School Bus
Sept. 28--Four more illegal immigrants have entered Deming aboard a Deming Public School's bus. The incident came a week after a Mexican national was arrested for entering the country illegally and riding a school bus to town.
Ray Trejo, Jr., director of the DPS transportation office, said four illegals boarded a school bus Monday and rode to town. Once in Deming, the school bus driver notified the school district which in turn notified the Deming Police Department. The DPD responded, according to Chief Michael Carillo, but turned the case over to the U.S. Border Patrol because of the immigration issues.
"What we continually ask is they notify us from the port of entry if there's any questions regarding students that aren't on their roster or if there's any questions at all," Trejo said after expressing disappointment the driver waited until the bus reached Deming to notify the school district. "Well, I was under the impression they had all got the message they are not to allow adults posing as students onto the school buses."
The school district contracts with two local transportation firms M&T Busing and Haynes Busing to handle picking up and dropping off students. According to Trejo, "roughly" 450 to 500 students board the buses at the Columbus Port of Entry on the U.S. side of the border. The students are American citizens, either by birth or other means, who live in Mexico.
"I'm totally disappointed," he said. "I am beating myself up because when this is allowed to happen, we're jeopardizing all other students on that school bus that are here coming to school for a legitimate education, not to mention when they're dropped off here at school, we just open the door for possibly anything."
He likened the school buses to classrooms, saying bus drivers should be as aware of their passengers as a teacher is of his or her students. He said the bus drivers have a roster of passengers with photos.
"They're the first line of defense," he added.
He said there is no excuse for what happened, but did touch on the more sophisticated methods the illegals are using to fool the authorities. He described backpacks full of labeled notebooks and Wildcat the district's mascot memorabilia.
A spokesman for the Border Patrol was unable to comment on the incident, saying the agency is still collecting facts.
On Thursday, Sept. 15, an 18-year-old Mexican national was arrested for riding the bus from the border to Deming.
Matt Robinson can be reached at [email protected]
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