Immigration agents arrest 1,235

Thursday, Sept. 7, 2000 | 11:23 a.m.

Federal immigration agents in Las Vegas have made more than 1,200 arrests since beginning a multistate crackdown on illegal immigration in the Southwest.

Karen Dorman, the officer in charge of the Immigration and Naturalization Service office in Las Vegas, said this morning the flow of illegal immigrants using McCarran International Airport continues at a brisk pace despite the monthlong project known as Operation Denial.

Starting on Aug. 14, about 20 INS agents have been keeping McCarran under 24-hour surveillance looking for illegal immigrants who are increasingly using air travel. Dorman said the operation has netted 1,235 arrests to date at both the airport and a downtown Las Vegas bus station.

A similar effort by INS is underway at Phoenix's Sky Harbor International Airport where agents have made about 1,500 arrests.

Dorman said the federal agency is hoping to continue the operation through the end of the year.

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