The Maine Wire
  • News
  • Commentary
  • Maine Wire TV
  • Podcasts
  • About
  • Contact
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending News
  • Embattled Harvard President Claudine Gay Accused of Plagiarism
  • Triad Weed: Suspected Chinese Foreign National Arrested Operating Illegal Marijuana Grow in Tenn.
  • Independent Commission Investigating Lewiston Shooting Postpones Public Hearing While Awaiting “key information”
  • NH Man Charged with Threatening to Kill Vivek Ramaswamy, Attendees at Portsmouth Campaign Event
  • Golden & Pingree Sign Letter With 100+ Other Reps Asking for $1.6 Billion Increase to LIHEAP
  • Piantidosi CD1 Candidate – Antisemites Come Out of the Shadows
  • John Fetterman Once Again Breaks With His Party and Suggests That Democrats Should Engage With Republicans on the Border
  • Woke Ideology and Foreign Money are Corrupting Education
Facebook Twitter Instagram
The Maine Wire
Login
Monday, December 11
  • News
  • Commentary
  • Maine Wire TV
  • Podcasts
  • About
  • Contact
The Maine Wire
Home » News » Lisbon Police, Border Patrol Expose Elaborate Human Smuggling Scheme; 17 Foreign Nationals Deported
Featured

Lisbon Police, Border Patrol Expose Elaborate Human Smuggling Scheme; 17 Foreign Nationals Deported

Steve RobinsonBy Steve RobinsonMarch 22, 2023Updated:March 22, 2023No Comments3 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Email LinkedIn Reddit
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email

LISBON, Maine – Border Patrol agents in Lisbon have uncovered what federal immigration officials called an “elaborate human smuggling scheme,” leading to the removal of 17 undocumented non-citizens from an alleged stash house.

Federal immigration officials said the individuals were living illegally in the U.S. and working illegally for an unidentified company in Massachusetts.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection says its agents have encountered more than 100,000 individuals crossing the southern border illegally every month since February 2021. In December alone, CBP reported 251,978 encounters with inadmissible visitors. That’s the most illegal border crossings CBP has ever reported for one month, according to the available data.

[RELATED: Asylum Seekers Continue to Flow Into Southern Maine: Portland Sees 756 New Arrivals in 2023…]

The migrants, hailing from Nicaragua and Guatemala, highlight a growing trend of undocumented non-citizens transiting in and out of the State of Maine, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol said in a press release.

The discovery took place on March 21, 2023, when agents from the Rangeley Border Patrol Station conducted a follow-up investigation based on information provided by the Lisbon Police Department. The investigation, initially related to a hit-and-run accident, led agents to a house in Lisbon where the 17 undocumented non-citizens were found.

William J. Maddocks, Chief Patrol Agent of the Houlton Sector, emphasized the importance of apprehending those entering the country illegally to protect local communities and the nation. He also stressed the need to prevent criminal activity from going unchecked, stating that “immigration law violations are no different, and criminal activity without consequence is not in our community or national interests.”

“U.S. Border Patrol will continue to protect our local communities here in Maine and the U.S. as a whole by ensuring those illegally entering the country are apprehended,” said Maddocks.

It was determined that the undocumented non-citizens were employed by a Massachusetts-based company that had rented the house to provide them with accommodation.

[RELATED: Illegal Border Crossings Into Maine Spiked in 2022, Still Lower Than N.H. and VT…]

“We are seeing a sharp increase in the flow of illegal labor in and out of Maine,” Maddocks said. “Housing 17 people in one house is unsafe and degrading.”

He also noted that the exploitation of undocumented populations would persist as long as there are no consequences, vowing to continue issuing civil penalties, fines, and seeking federal criminal prosecution through the U.S. Attorney’s office.

The migrants were transported to Rangeley for processing.

During this process, it was discovered that two Guatemalan individuals had re-entered the United States after being previously removed, a felony crime punishable by a fine and up to two years in prison.

Four undocumented non-citizens were found to have already entered the United States illegally along the southwest border and were in removal proceedings. They were subsequently released to await immigration proceedings.

[RELATED: U.S. Border Patrol, Knox Sheriff, Rockland PD Can’t – Or Won’t – Provide Details on Seven Foreign Nationals Arrested in Midcoast Maine…]

The remaining subjects from Nicaragua and Guatemala were entered into removal proceedings under Title 8.

The Lisbon Police Department did not respond to an inquiry about their role in the removal operation.

The U.S. Border Patrol action comes one month about seven Guatemalan foreign nationals were detained in Rockland on the suspicion that they were involved in an organized criminal operation that has targeted Home Depot locations throughout Maine.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Previous ArticleRobinson Talks Maine Education with PJ Media’s Megan Fox [VIDEO]
Next Article Faulkingham Pitches $1,000,000 State Contribution to Lobster Legal Defense Fund
Steve Robinson
  • Twitter

Steve Robinson is the Editor-in-Chief of The Maine Wire. ‪He can be reached by email at Robinson@TheMaineWire.com.

Related Posts

Pro-Palestine Protestors Block Road Outside Bath Iron Works, Demand Shipyard Stop Arming “Imperialist Genocide”

December 8, 2023

Susan Collins Urges US Attorney of Maine to Crack Down on Chinese Organized Crime, Cites “National Security Risks”

December 5, 2023

Portland Fire Chief Keith Gautreau: “I don’t think we were prepared” for Large Increase in Homeless Encampments

December 4, 2023

Leave A Reply

Recent News

Embattled Harvard President Claudine Gay Accused of Plagiarism

December 11, 2023

Triad Weed: Suspected Chinese Foreign National Arrested Operating Illegal Marijuana Grow in Tenn.

December 11, 2023

NH Man Charged with Threatening to Kill Vivek Ramaswamy, Attendees at Portsmouth Campaign Event

December 11, 2023

Golden & Pingree Sign Letter With 100+ Other Reps Asking for $1.6 Billion Increase to LIHEAP

December 11, 2023

John Fetterman Once Again Breaks With His Party and Suggests That Democrats Should Engage With Republicans on the Border

December 9, 2023
Newsletter

News

  • News
  • Campaigns & Elections
  • Opinion & Commentary
  • Media Watch
  • Education
  • Media

Maine Wire

  • About the Maine Wire
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • Submit Commentary
  • Complaints
  • Maine Policy Institute

Resources

  • Maine Legislature
  • Legislation Finder
  • Get the Newsletter
  • Maine Wire TV

Facebook Twitter Instagram Steam RSS
  • Post Office Box 7829, Portland, Maine 04112

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

Sign In or Register

Welcome Back!

Login below or Register Now.

Lost password?

Register Now!

Already registered? Login.

A password will be e-mailed to you.