FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AG WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 1995 (202) 616-2765 TDD (202) 514-1888 ATTORNEY GENERAL JANET RENO ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR NOGALES PORT OF ENTRY WASHINGTON, D.C. -- In a further effort to facilitate legal entries into Arizona and detect fraudulent documents, $150,000 and nine Immigration and Naturalization inspectors have been allocated to the Nogales Port of Entry, Attorney General Janet Reno announced today. "The additional funds and inspectors will help commerce and residents of Nogales by easing traffic congestion at the border, expediting the issuance of border crossing cards and detecting fraudulent documents," said Reno. In addition, the Attorney General reiterated the commitment by the Department of Justice and the Immigration and Naturalization Service to maintain the Nogales Wash tunnel grates. She said the department is working with the city to develop an appropriate mechanism for the federal government to underwrite the cost of maintaining the grates. "Attorney General Reno and I are committed to having the Immigration and Naturalization Service work very constructively in the community of Nogales. This is the way we want to do things," said INS Commissioner Doris Meissner. "We believe we must forge partnerships with communities like Nogales if we are to carry out the President's mandate to secure our borders." Plans to construct the Border Patrol Checkpoint on Interstate 19 north of Nogales are on hold pending the evaluation of the impact of the 100 new agents coming on the line in the next few months. "My visits to Nogales have given me a first hand understanding of the unique burdens it faces as an international border city," said Reno. "We are committed to finding solutions that make sense and continuing our work with the city to address immigration related problems." ### 95-044