U.S. MARSHALS BUSY WITH BORDER ISSUES

Increased Enforcement, New Laws Straining Budget And Resources

EL PASO - Federal marshals on the U.S.-Mexico border say they are
struggling to find jail beds and otherwise keep up with a heavy
prisoner load caused by increased enforcement of immigration and drug
laws.

From Texas to California, the U.S. Marshal's Service is paying more
money toward housing, providing medical treatment and other expenses
associated with holding federal detainees while they are awaiting trial.

The Marshal's Service in Arizona, for example, holds an average of
more than 2,000 prisoners per day, up from an average of 650 in 1995,
said Thomas Nixon, chief deputy U.S. marshal for the Arizona district.

"My jail bills are in the millions of dollars on an annual basis," he
said.

Enforcement also is increasing the workloads of U.S. attorneys,
judges, public defenders and others within the federal judicial system.

"In terms of criminal prosecution in New Mexico, we've seen a vast
increase in the criminal immigration offenses we prosecute," said
Robert Gorence, a first assistant U.S. attorney in
Albuquerque.

Mr. Gorence said related but separate events are causing the influx of
federal detainees into the system: changes in the nation's immigration
laws and increased law enforcement efforts on the border by several
agencies, including the Border Patrol and Drug Enforcement
Administration.

Congress changed immigration laws in 1996, increasing penalties for
those who illegally re-enter the country after being deported, he said.

Immigrant smugglers and criminal immigrants also face more severe
penalties .

Given the pressure it's placing on federal agencies, some are
questioning the wisdom of such aggressive crackdowns.

"The whole war on drugs and illegal immigration efforts have evolved
into enormous job-generating machines. . . . How much money are we
spending to apprehend, prosecute and defend and deport these people?
It's this nightmare, a bureaucratic and a taxpayer nightmare," said
Ramon Acosta, a Las Cruces defense attorney who often represents
federal detainees.

Checked-by: Patrick Henry