Men held in death are illegal immigrants

One of them was arrested 4 times for drunken driving

The Associated Press

August 11, 2007

Two cousins accused of killing a teenager during her visit to Oregon
acknowledged entering the country illegally from Mexico, a federal
Immigration and Customs Enforcement official said.

One of the men, Alejandro Rivera Gamboa, 24, went unnoticed by immigration
officials even though he was arrested four times on drunken driving charges
since 2000, The Oregonian newspaper reported.

He and Gilberto Arellano Gamboa, 23, were arrested this week in the death of
Dani Countryman, 15, of Kaufman, Texas, whose body was found late last month
in an apartment southeast of Portland.

Oregon law prohibits local police from actively searching out illegal
immigrants, but the rules change when foreigners land in jail. If local
authorities find reason to think the person is deportable, they may notify
Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

At the same time, immigration officials search local jails and flag inmates
who may be in the country illegally.