Horse trailer holding
79 illegal persons found
(by Sibylla Chipaziwa)
(by Sibylla Chipaziwa)
Phoenix police found a horse trailer with 79 illegal
immigrants this afternoon. Inside, 68 adults and 11 children – one being just
four months old – were discovered. They had been left in the trailer for two
days, but all were in reasonably good health.
Bob Brunelle, a business owner in the area for 30 years now,
stated that he has seen the community turn into a dumping ground for illegal
immigrants over time. “It’s weekly like I said. You see vans pull in here, drop
‘em off, and then the guy drives off and the people just disperse in the
neighborhood.” He went on to say, “ I’ve called before and told [the police]
there was a van in the alley here with a lot of people in it, well, you’ll have
to contact so-and-so, and by the time they get contacted, the van’s gone.”
This time around, Brunelle did not have to call anyone. A
Phoenix police officer spotted the trailer, even saw the driver take off, and found the 79 persons inside.
They were loaded onto a bus by the Immigration Customs Enforcement and taken to
a temporary holding facility in downtown Phoenix. “I’m just glad they did
something about this. It’s too bad there were those two babies in there, they
took a hell of a chance,” said Brunelle.
An Immigration Customs Enforcement spokesperson later stated
that most of the illegal immigrants were expected to be sent back home tonight.
For more information on the Immigration Customs Enforcement, click here to visit their website.
For more information on the Immigration Customs Enforcement, click here to visit their website.
G.D. Cash-Dorch
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COMM 106 – D001/D002
Multimedia Journalism
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Neighbors have complained that it happens all the time. This afternoon, Phoenix Police discovered a horse trailer packed with 79 illegal immigrants.
An officer patrolling near 14th street and Polk Avenue spotted a pickup truck connected to a dated wooden trailer. The driver was startled by the officer and bolted from the pickup when he discovered the officer approaching rapidly towards the vehicle which was illegally parked at a fire hydrant. The officer had noticed a hand hanging out through an opening in the trailer.
The officer, concerned for public safety, opened the trailer. Once opened, he saw jammed inside 68 adults and 11 young children, some as young as two years old clinging onto their mother’s bosom. The smell of urine and feces was overwhelming. The officer felt the heat inside like an oven door opening after baking a pot roast. He began to sweet.
A nearby business owner Bob Brunelle, stated, “It’s a weekly occurrence. You see vans pull in here, drop’em off, and then the guy drives off and the people just disperse in the neighborhood.”
Brunelle says he’s owned a discount auto business in the neighborhood for 30 years, but just recently, he says the community has become a dumping ground for illegal immigrants.
Brunelle goes on to say, “I’ve called before and told them there was a van in the alley here with a lot of people in it, well, you’ll have to contact so-and-so, and by the time they get contacted, the van’s gone.
This time Brunelle did not have to make a call. A Phoenix police officer spotted the horse trailer, investigated and found the 79 people inside. After two days in an un-air-conditioned trailer, everyone was thirsty and hungry, but no one was seriously ill.
“I’m glad they did something about this. It’s too bad there were those two babies in there, they took a hell of a chance, “said Brunelle.
Immigration Customs Enforcement loaded everyone on a bus, hauling them to the temporary holding facility in downtown Phoenix. Brunelle said he was glad to see it, “I don’t think they’ll drop off in this neighborhood again for a while.”
An Immigrations Customs Enforcement Spokesperson says, “he expects most of the illegal immigrants will be sent back home tonight.”