New Strategy on Smuggling of Immigrants

U.S. officials are developing a new strategy to stop the smuggling of illegal immigrants into the United States, a published report said.

The strategy is being devised by a group of federal officials led by the National Security Council with personnel from the State Department, Justice Department, Immigration and Naturalization Service and the Coast Guard, the New York Times reported in today’s editions.

The plan would arm law enforcement officials with wiretaps, far-reaching conspiracy statutes and forfeiture laws to seize money and property obtained through smuggling, the paper said.

Also, the penalties for smuggling immigrants would rise to perhaps a maximum of 20 years in prison, instead of the current five, and officials would like to use satellites and other sophisticated monitoring devices.