The US Border Patrol has sent a “clear” message to those attempting to enter America illegally after arresting two Indian nationals for the same wrongdoing. A recent press release did not specify the detailed identities of the apprehended individuals.
Houlton Sector Border Patrol agents nabbed two Indians for illegally crossing the international boundary from Canada on foot near Bridgewater, Maine, on Friday, August 1. Officials alerted that the “illegal aliens” will be prosecuted under 8 US Code § 1325, and will be placed into removal proceedings.
The latest arrest marks a rare development in Maine as CBP have only come across 15 such Indian national in the previous three fiscal years.
US Border Patrol issues fresh warning to those present in the country illegally
Houlton Sector Acting Chief Patrol Agent Craig Shepley hailed the “record breaking low numbers of illegal crossings,” while affirming that individuals still hoping to violate US laws will not only be apprehended and prosecuted, but also swiftly deported to their country of origin.
The US Customs and Border Protection has issued a “clear message” to the masses, noting that strict consequences would impact those breaking the law. “If you enter the United States illegally, you will be apprehended, and the appropriate consequences will be enforced under the law,” read an extract from the press release.
Authorities also reiterated that the CBP is offering a “voluntary, incentivised process” for those illegally in the United States so that they can return to their home country, or even another nation that may be accepting them.
The app in question is none other than the CBP Home app. Individuals using it to confirm their self-deportation from the United States may even receive a $1,000 stipend.
US illegal immigration crackdown
Back in July, the US Embassy in India pushed a similar statement, seeking to inspire fear in the hearts of foreign national, who may even just be thinking of committing a crime on US soil.
“Committing assault, theft, or burglary in the United States won’t just cause you legal issues,” the embassy shared via X after an Indian woman was caught for shoplifting items worth about $1,300 at a Target store. “It could lead to your visa being revoked and make you ineligible for future US visas. The United States values law and order and expects foreign visitors to follow all US laws.”
On the same page of the conversation, Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons reminded all those in the US illegally to fear the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s “Catch-and-Revoke” policy. During a July interview with CBS News, he said that the American authorities will take people into custody if they are illegally present in the US, regardless of a criminal record (or the lack thereof). He acknowledged such apprehensions as “collateral arrests.”