The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "customs officials" ...
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Record Document ICE Cover-Up
The story documents how Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials attempted to cover-up a wave of immigration court cases dismissals in Houston in the fall of 2010.
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Clerk's Office Corruption: Following the Money
Investigations into Shelby County Clerk, Maureen Bowers, revealed she accepted personal payment to to register vehicles for customers in the Hispanic community. Bowers bribed other officials to verify false identities in order for illegals to acquire vehicle registration.
Tags: Maureen Bowers; Shelby county; clerk; corrupt; bribe; vehicle; registration; illegal;
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Inside National Grid's Secretive $25 Million
The reporters exposed a secret fund controlled by local power company National Grid. An add-on charge to each customer's monthly bill built a $25 million slush fund for two utility officials to spend on favored economic development projects.
Tags: electric company; utility fee; energy; rates; no-bid contract; favoritism
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Tow Hold
The Cactus Towing company was found to be connected with elected officials in order to keep the company going by using political contributions and lobbying. The company had reportedly been over charging its customers and continued to win city contracts to keep in business.
Tags: towing; lobby; Lee Watkins; Udall
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The Border Within
An investigation by the Rocky Mountain News found that "many criminal immigrants who are supposed to be deported are not removed from the country because of a lack of manpower and detention space and because of a lack of communication among federal, state and local officials." The newspaper also reported that "many of these criminals had gone on to commit worse crimes in Colorado, including murder and sexual assault." In addition, "half the people deported by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement each year in Colorado and nationally have no criminal record."
Tags: Immigration; deportation; criminals; repeat offenders
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Citizenship For Sale
Reporters from WTVJ-TV went undercover to witness a Florida man, Audie Watson, in the process of selling memberships in the Little Shell Band of the Pembina Nation. Watson claims the documents he sells for $1,500 allow purchasers to enter the United States legally. Reporters confronted Watson, and he agreed to be interviewed on camera. The series also showed interviews with people who had been arrested trying to cross the border with documents sold by Watson. Although Watson is now being investigated by state and federal officials and is currently on probation in Florida for an unrelated pyramid scheme conviction, his operation has not been shut down as of January 2007.
Tags: Fraud; Native Americans; Latinos; migrant workers; undercover investigations; Customs and Border Protection; Special Agent Zachary Mann; Ron DeLorme; Reginald Thabuteau; Universal Service Dedicated to God; Chippewa; Homeland Security
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Paradise: At What Cost?
For a year-long convergence investigation into Southwest Florida housing prices, reporters for Naples Daily News custom-built a searchable online database of more than 100,000 real estate transactions and median home prices for more than 1600 single family neighborhoods and condo developments in Southwest Fla. They also did more than 500 interviews with local residents, housing and government officials. The series resulted in 33 stories, multiple video interviews, behind-the-scenes vodcasts, weekly podcasts, online reader chats
Tags: Broadcast; cable access television; CAR; computer-assisted reporting; convergence; Housing; development; economy; real estate; podcasts; vodcasts; online databases; reader response; interactive
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Wrongdoing in Wilmer-Hutchins
Using a hidden camera and the unpaid help of a mold remediation expert, reporters at KDFW exposed severe problems with the Wilmer-Hutchins district high school. News cameras also caught the district using illegal immigrants instead of mold remediation specialists to repair building problems. The investigation also lead to the discovery of mismanagement and fraud in the school district's leadership and its financial records. As a result of this report, a state education agency audit followed, along with investigations by the FBI, IRS, U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour division, and the Federal Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Throughout the investigation, district officials denied any wrongdoing, refused to hand over documents, and were eventually charged with tampering with evidence in the federal investigations.
Tags: standardized testing; bonds; mismanagement of funds; Wilmer-Hutchins school district
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"Politicians' Telecoms Wronged Consumers"; QAI: A legacy of success or slams?; Commerce official's past includes telecom trouble
This special report by the Pioneer Press exposes ties between the Governor and Auditor of Minnesota and New Access Communications, a telephone company accused of fraud. According to the report, Gov. Tim Pawlenty was a director of NewTel Holdings, New Access' parent company, when complaints were filed against New Access. The complaints accused New Access of "overcharging some customers and tricking others into changing their telephone services." Auditor Patricia Awada was the owner of Capitol Verification, which was a company designed to verify that customers really wanted to change their phone service. However, according to the report, Awada's company did not always complete that goal.
Tags: FOIA; Investigating politicians; Fraud; FCC; New Access Communications
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Borderline Terror
This story deals with investigating federal plans to protect the Vermont/Canada border from terrorists crossing into the U.S. By talking to customs officials in the U.S. and Canada, News 7 found that the 2 lakes in Vermont that border Canada are not monitored for half of the year. So there is nothing stopping illegal immigrants from swimming or boating to the United States. The investigation also found that the atmosphere at large border stations is more strict when compared to smaller border stations.
Tags: TAPE; TRANSCRIPT; FOI; Canadian National Security Intelligence Report; immigration; immigration policy; customs; customs officials; terrorism; Canada; Department of Homeland Security; illegal immigrants; Vermont border; Canada border; U.S. Department of Immigration