Yesterday the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) announced their latest crackdown on immigrants entering the country, this time in Arizona and Nevada. Operation Denial, as it is being called, will effectively increase the number of INS agents at the international airports in Las Vegas and Arizona. The INS say these two airports have become the newest gateway to the United States for people entering via smuggling operations.

INS authorities said yesterday they will be concentrating on passengers who fly one-way in the early morning or late at night, and on those who have no luggage or carry-on bags. Also an INS mobile response team will be formed to react to changes in smuggling patterns prompted by the tightening of the airports in Phoenix and Las Vegas. Immigration officials said agents will also target so-called “safe houses” in the Phoenix area that will probably start filling up as the airport routes get cut off. In recent weeks, safe houses have been the scene of violence where four people have been killed.

Guest:

• Isabel Garcia, an immigrant rights attorney in Southern Arizona. She is also a co-founder of the Coalicion de Derechos Humanos in Tucson, Arizona.