INS WORKER CHARGED IN GREEN-CARD SCHEME

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA -- A former immigration inspector has been accused of
stealing and selling immigration documents in Mexico that were used at least
twice by drug smugglers.

Daniel Goodrum was indicted Friday by a federal grand jury on fraud and
conspiracy charges.

Goodrum, 37, of Chula Vista, worked as an inspector for the Immigration and
Naturalization Service in the San Diego district office, where he had access
to a safe containing immigrant registration cards, known as green cards.

The cards had been confiscated from drug smugglers and were supposed to be
destroyed. The indictment charges Goodrum stole 14 of the cards while
working at the office between March 1995 to August 1996.

Goodrum then allegedly gave the green cards to his brother-in-law, who sold
them in the Mexican border city of Tijuana for $200 to $1,000. The
brother-in-law was not indicted.

On at least two occasions, individuals arrested for trying to smuggle
marijuana into the U.S. used the stolen green cards when trying to cross the
border, Assistant U.S. Atty. Michael Wheat said.