HOULTON, Maine — A woman from the Asian country of Armenia was arrested Friday in Houlton.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Monday that its agents recently followed up on information regarding a woman living illegally in the U.S. Their investigation, it said, showed that a woman near Foxcroft Road who had entered the country as a tourist in 2001 never left as required by law.
Agents later conducted an interview with and a search of the Armenian citizen at the Houlton Border Patrol Station, and she was found to be in the U.S. illegally and in possession of fraudulent identification documents, CBP said.
The woman was turned over to the Removal Operations sector of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, for removal proceedings.
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CBP said the fraudulent documents may have been used to gain employment and ease her ability to remain in the U.S. in violation of federal law.
"Overstaying a lawful visa entry is a violation of U.S. immigration law," said Jason Owens, Maine's chief Border Patrol agent. "The possession and use of fraudulent documents can be charged as a felony under U.S. law making it a serious criminal violation."
Armenia is located in the mountainous Caucasus region between Asia and Europe, bordered by Iran, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia.
Maine's CBP patrols 611 miles of the U.S.-Canada border and about 3,500 miles of coastline. Reports can be made at (800) 851-8727.
