September 29, 2006:
Yet another headache for those trying to keep terrorists from getting across the Mexican border. After several Cuban refugees were apprehended in Mexico with Mexican identification papers, an investigation discovered that a new scam was in play. Cubans seeking to escape the Castro regime sail not toward the U.S., but to Mexico or some of the Caribbean Islands, across waters less well patrolled. Once they land, they arrange to swap identification with Mexicans seeking entry into the US. Using the Mexican papers, the Cuban can generally function pretty comfortably in Mexico, given the lassitude and corruption of officialdom there. Meanwhile, the Mexicans with Cuban papers can apply for asylum in the US. It's not clear whether any Mexicans have actually entered the US as a result of this scam, but it's feared that terrorists might take advantage of this approach as well. There is a well developed network of people smugglers on the Mexican side of the border, and these guys are mainly interested in the money, not the terrorist threat.