Author: Tim Korte, Associated Press

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TO HIRE MORE PROSECUTORS FOR BORDER AREAS

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Attorney General Alberto Gonzales outlined plans
Monday to add 20 new federal prosecutors to handle immigration
related offenses and five others who will target drug trafficking in
states along the border with Mexico.

"We've heard the cries of our U.S. attorneys, who tell us they need
additional resources," Gonzales said during a news conference at the
U.S. attorney's office in Albuquerque.

Gonzales also challenged Congress to keep the money coming, saying
comprehensive immigration reform will require more judges, marshals
and bed space to fully secure the border.

"We need to ensure that as we increase our efforts on the front end
of the process that we also have the ability at the back end to
prosecute these folks," he said.

The $2 million supplemental funding will help federal authorities
assign prosecutors for border areas of California, Arizona, New
Mexico and Texas to address human smuggling, illegal entry into the
United States and document fraud. They also will target employers who
hire undocumented immigrants.

Five additional prosecutors -- one in each of the five federal law
enforcement districts along the border -- will be assigned under the
Justice Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force.
They will target drug trafficking organizations.

"There is some correlation," Gonzales said. "Obviously, smuggling
occurs in connection with illegal immigration. Also, there is a
serious drug trafficking problem on our southern border."

Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security will identify
lawyers who will be designated as special assistant U.S. attorneys,
responsible for prosecuting immigration offenses.

The U.S. attorney in each of the districts along the border will
determine the best ways to specifically allocate the new prosecutors.

Gonzales said over the past six years, the Justice Department has
boosted the number of federal prosecutors along the Mexican border by
29 percent, to 561.

During the same span, he said immigration prosecutions have increased
about 40 percent, and that about 30 percent of all new criminal cases
involve immigration crimes.

That makes immigration the largest category of cases addressed by
federal prosecutors. Gonzales said last year, more than 95 percent of
immigration prosecutions led to convictions.

During an earlier visit to Santa Fe, Gonzales said the Bush
administration remains hopeful that Congress, despite election year
pressures, will agree on comprehensive immigration legislation this year.

"I wouldn't say that we've given up. Quite the contrary," Gonzales said.

Gov. Bill Richardson, a Democrat and the nation's only Hispanic
governor, expressed support for legislation that offers a path to
citizenship for the millions of illegal immigrants living in the
United States. Comprehensive legislation also should include
additional resources, such as more agents and electronic sensors to
tighten border security.

Gonzales agreed those were important elements for legislation but
said the administration hasn't endorsed a specific measure in Congress.

Richardson and Gonzales also addressed a conference of the National
District Attorneys Association. Gonzales, in his speech, focused on
federal efforts to crack down on the exploitation and abuse of
children by sexual predators using the Internet.

Richardson told the prosecutors he was worried Congress wouldn't act
on immigration legislation this year because of election year divisions.

- -- Associated Press Writer Barry Massey in Santa Fe contributed to this report.