Deportations Sought For Non-US Citizens Who Harm Federal K9s, Police Horses: CA Congressman
LAKE ELSINORE, CA — Outcry was sparked when an Egyptian man admitted in June that he kicked a U.S. Customs and Border Protection dog during an inspection at Washington Dulles International Airport. A federal lawmaker from Riverside County now wants to make assaulting a federal law enforcement animal a deportable offense.Congressman Ken Calvert (R-41) has introduced the "Bill to Outlaw Wounding of Official Working Animals Act" or BOWOW Act, H.R. 4638, to protect animals used by federal law enforcement agencies. If signed into law, the Act would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide that a non-U.S. citizen convicted of harming animals used in law enforcement is inadmissible to this country and is deportable. Additionally, the Act would provide that anyone with such prior offenses on their record would be inadmissible to the U.S. "The dogs and horses are on the front lines of our federal law enforcement efforts alongside our officers and deserve our protection," Calvert said. "The BOWOW Act sends a clear message that we will stand up for our four-legged friends and have zero tolerance for any immigrants who assault them. "Animals, like Freddie, work every day to keep Americans safe — we owe it to Freddie to do our best to keep him safe too," Calvert continued.Freddie is the 5-year-old beagle at the center of the outcry. Known as a "CBP agriculture detector dog," Freddie is part of the agency's Beagles Brigade that works to screen passengers and cargo for agricultural products upon arrival in the United States. The aim is to prevent harmful plant pests and foreign animal diseases from entering the country, according to CBP. On June 24, Freddie and his handler were inspecting baggage from travelers who arrived at Washington Dulles International Airport from Cairo, Egypt. Freddie alerted to a suitcase belonging to Hamed Ramadan Bayoumy Aly Marie.As the CBP canine handler started questioning 70-year-old Marie, the Egyptian man "violently kicked Freddie with sufficient force to lift the 25-pound beagle off the ground," according to CBP.CBP officers immediately descended on Marie, handcuffed him, and turned him over to Homeland Security Investigations agents.A veterinarian determined that Freddie suffered contusions to his right forward rib area, according to CBP. He survived the attack.CBP agriculture specialists subsequently checked Marie's luggage and allegedly found 55 pounds of beef meat, 44 pounds of rice, 15 pounds of eggplant, cucumbers, and bell peppers, two pounds of corn seeds, and a pound of herbs. The undeclared agricultural products were prohibited from entering the United States and seized, CBP stated.During an initial June 25 appearance at U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Virginia, Marie pleaded guilty to harming animals used in law enforcement. He was credited with time served, ordered to pay the veterinarian’s fee, and to immediately report to CBP for removal from the United States. Marie left the country on a flight to Egypt at 12:30 p.m. the next day, according to CBP."Being caught deliberately smuggling well over one 100 pounds of undeclared and prohibited agriculture products does not give one permission to violently assault a defenseless Customs and Border Protection beagle," said Christine Waugh, CBP’s Area Port Director for the Area Port of Washington, D.C. "We rely heavily on our K9 partners and Freddie was just doing his job. Any malicious attack on one of us is an attack on all of us, and CBP will continue to work with our investigating and prosecuting partners to deal swift and severe justice to perpetrators."The article Deportations Sought For Non-US Citizens Who Harm Federal K9s, Police Horses: CA Congressman appeared first on Lake Elsinore-Wildomar, CA Patch.
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