This Is Why Immigrants Need Protection

A federal former immigration officer has been charged with accepting cash bribes and sex from undocumented immigrants in exchange for working papers.

Arnaldo Echevarria, 38, was a former Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer. He was alleged to have garnered $78,000 in bribes from undocumented immigrants by secretly letting them into the country.

He also demanded sexual favors from two immigrants, which resulted in one getting pregnant. The pregnant immigrant was told by Echevarria to have an abortion, but she had the child. He told the woman that no one can know that he is the father of the child. His demands for sexual favors continued due to his help with getting her employment papers.

Echevarria was charged last year with lying about his girlfriend, who is also an undocumented immigrant, since he set her up with a job under a false name at his hair salon in New Jersey.

Echevarria owned the hair salon business in West Orange, New Jersey and made his girlfriend the manager. He paid her and other employees in cash and did not have them fill out employment eligibility paperwork.

The ex-immigration officer apparently did this for two years between 2012 and 2014. The prosecutors added that Echevarria lied to the authorities about the immigrants, saying that they have been given temporary protected status in order to stay in the country. It was revealed that none of the immigrants illegally let in by Echevarria had applied or had been granted the protected status.

US Attorney Paul J. Fishman says undocumented immigrants who flee to the country for protection against armed conflict, environmental disasters and other conditions, may apply for employment authorization. The permit allows the immigrants to work legally in the United States for a year, and it can be renewed.

The indictment accused Echevarria with seven counts of accepting bribes and a count of harboring an illegal immigrant, as well as making false statements to immigration authorities. Echevarria's lawyer, Michael Korbanics, did not state the specifics of the indictment. Instead, he said that he is getting ready to defend his client.

"We're ready to establish a vigorous defense of the allegations," Korbanics said.

The ex-ICE officer remains free on bail. The seven bribery counts carry a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Harboring illegal immigrants and lying to immigration authorities have a possible penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000.