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HomeNewsArchivesHEARING SET FOR 8 SYRIANS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY

HEARING SET FOR 8 SYRIANS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY

Oct. 25, 2001 – Eight Syrian nationals arrested Wednesday afternoon after a six-week stay at a downtown guest house were slated to appear in U.S. District Court at mid-day to face charges of illegally entering the United States.
The eight were arrested at the Bunker Hill Guest House near Garden Street around 4 p.m. Wednesday. It was unclear whether federal and local police authorities were tipped off about the illegals residing at the guest house.
Police officers cordoned off the Bunker Hill street leading from the Mafolie road down to Commandant Gade and a nearby side street while the officers took the eight immigrants into custody and processed them in advance of the initial court appearance.
The arrests followed the apprehension of more than 90 illegal Chinese immigrants on St. John in the last week, all of whom were taken into custody after being let off of boats to make their way ashore.
Citing the recent influx of illegal immigrants, Senate President Almando "Rocky" Liburd has called on Gov. Charles W. Turnbull to assess the needs of the territory in terms of law-enforcement personnel to counter the arrival of "illegal aliens on our shores." Liburd, in a broadcast interview, said the time has come "for us to address what has becoming an increasing problem in the territory." He asked the governor to meet with federal immigration and police officials to develop a strategy aimed at increasing patrols of the territory’s shorelines.

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