San Diego Horse Trailer Crash Injures 18 – Were They Being Smuggled?

On April 6, a collision in San Diego County saw 18 people injured, and raised questions around their immigration status. The accident, which occurred in the westbound freeway lanes of Interstate 8 just before midday on Friday, involved a Ford F-250 pickup and an overturned horse trailer, amongst other vehicles. Suspicions were aroused after witnesses reported seeing a number of people fleeing from the scene of the crash, in addition to the 18 who were treated for mild to moderate injuries. According to a statement released by authorities on Saturday April 7, it is believed that the people involved in the accident may have been illegal immigrants in the process of being smuggled into the United States.

Did You Know Immigration Violation Is a Federal Offense?

Flouting immigration law may seem like a relatively harmless activity – after all, you are just trying to make a better life for yourself and, perhaps, for your family. However, in the eyes of the law in San Francisco, California, and the rest of the United States, it is anything but harmless. In fact, breaching immigration law is considered a federal offense and, as such, carries severe penalties, including harsh fines and imprisonment. Only a skilled San Francisco criminal defense attorney can help you avoid a conviction.

Some of the immigration violation offenses which are classified as federal crimes include:

• Falsifying, forging, altering or counterfeiting immigration documents of any kind, or using any of these documents
• Harboring an illegal alien
• Encouraging or assisting an illegal alien to enter the United States, in violation of the law.
• Knowingly hiring, contracting or employing an immigrant who does not have permission to work in the United States.
• Failing to leave the U.S. when deported
• Entering or attempting to enter the U.S. after having been deported
• Entering or attempting to enter the United States at a time or place where this is in violation of the law
• Failing to pay taxes or falsifying tax documents, in conjunction with employing an illegal immigrant
• Receiving Medical, Medicare or welfare, when an illegal alien
• Encouraging or assisting an illegal alien or aliens to enter the United States for the purpose of prostitution or for other illegal or immoral purposes

This is not an exhaustive list, so other charges may also apply. A San Francisco criminal defense attorney from Okabe & Haushalter is extensively experienced in all areas of immigration law, meaning we should be your first call when facing immigration violation charges.

Schedule Your Free Case Evaluation Now

If you, or perhaps a member of your family, stands accused of breaching immigration law, you have no time to waste when it comes to building your defense. The legal team at Okabe & Haushalter are ready and willing to assist you to overturn, or at least reduce, the charges you face, but we can only act when you instruct us to do so.

To schedule your free case evaluation, call us today on 310-543-7708 or use our online form to request a callback.