“Border crimes” is a relatively broad term that applies to any criminal offense involving the United States’ southern or northern land borders, any port of entry, or any other point of entry into the United States from land, sea, or air. Whenever anyone visits the United States, they must have appropriate documentation pertaining to the nature of their stay, and the federal government also maintains a list of individuals with outstanding arrest warrants or who are of interest to other law enforcement agencies.

Border crimes often entail the unlawful crossing of individuals or illegal contraband into or out of the United States. Some federal border crime cases involve only one person, while others are more expansive and involve criminal conspiracies with multiple individuals. While a border crime may appear to have unfolded in a specific state, it is important to remember that because these offenses pertain to the nation’s borders, all border crimes are federal crimes prosecuted in federal court.

Whatever your case entails, you must know your rights in a criminal case and the value of hiring defense representation you can trust. The attorneys at Ralls & Wille have extensive professional experience handling a wide range of federal border crime cases. It’s common for federal border crime cases to involve multiple offenses, and a few of the most commonly cited border crimes that make up these cases include:

• Human trafficking/human smuggling. Any type of border crossing legally requires appropriate documentation. Passports and immigration documents are usually essential, and individuals seeking political asylum must do so through the proper channels. Various organizations in Mexico have seized on the demand for assistance in crossing the U.S. border. Human smuggling is usually a for-hire service strictly pertaining to getting clients across the U.S. border covertly and illegally.
• Drug trafficking. The southern border of the United States is one the largest illegal drug trafficking hubs in the world. Drugs procured and/or produced in Mexico or South America are shuttled across the border in various ways, including through the use of mules, or individuals who have been paid or threatened to illegally drive or carry drugs across the border into the United States. Many federal border crime cases entail some sort of drug trafficking, and many people have been prosecuted for these offenses when they were effectively forced to cooperate, either through threat of violence or desperation.
• Weapons trafficking. Similar to the drug trafficking trade, illegal weapons trafficking is common along the southern US border. The term “weapons trafficking” generally applies to any illegal operation in which weapons are moved from a lawful market to an unlawful one. It’s possible for a weapons trafficking case to involve illegal arms, weapons parts, ammunition, body armor, and more.
• Fraud and falsification of immigration documents. Although covert border crossing is more common, some individuals do attempt to move into the United States through official channels fraudulently. Many border crime cases have arisen regarding the production and sale of falsified immigration documents and personal documents. Any attempt to defraud a federal agency is a serious crime and can lead to years in federal prison.
• CBP corruption. While most members of the CBP perform their duties in good faith, some have willfully engaged in border crimes and faced severe penalties. If a CBP agent is accused of taking advantage of their position and authority to capitalize on illegal activity across the border, this can lead to severe criminal penalties, including many years in prison.