Border Patrol will erect billboards west of Tucson along State Route 86, telling drivers not to stop for immigrants.

GABRIELA RICO

"Do not stop for hitchhikers" signs, commonly seen near prisons, will soon go up along a highway popular with illegal immigrants.
The U.S. Border Patrol will erect the billboards along State Route 86 in the next couple of months as a public service for motorists who may not be aware of the dangers and penalties for helping migrants get farther into the country, said Andy Adame, spokesman for the agency's Tucson sector.

In the past, people have been charged with aiding and abetting illegal entry after giving a ride to someone they came across by the road, he said.

There also have been a handful of incidents in which immigrants have assaulted would-be Samaritans and taken their vehicles.

"With the increased enforcement along the border, well-intentioned citizens should rely on the Border Patrol instead of becoming entangled in potentially dangerous or criminal situations," Adame said.

Helping an illegal immigrant move farther into the country carries a maximum sentence of six months in prison and a $5,000 fine, according to federal statutes.

And the vehicles they're traveling in are subject to forfeiture, Adame said.

The Border Patrol has set up a toll-free number for anyone to report suspicious activity: (877) 872-7435.

The number and locations of the billboards, and what they will say, is being developed, Adame said.