Man eludes officers for hours after being denied entry into U.S. at Atlanta airport
INS detainee escapes from Atlanta airport hold area
Federal authorities from U.S. Customs and Border Protection want to figure out how an INS detainee escaped from the world's busiest airport and somehow ended up in Downtown Atlanta. The escape happened this past weekend during one of the busiest travel times of the year.
ATLANTA - Federal officials from U.S. Customs and Border Protection are trying to figure out how a detainee escaped from the world's busiest airport, and somehow ended up in downtown Atlanta.
The escape happened this past weekend during one of the busiest travel times of the year.
Millions of passengers passed through Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport during the days surrounding Thanksgiving.
A member of the Atlanta City Council said a man managed to fly into Atlanta illegally and then escape U.S. Customs and Border Protection during the busiest travel days at the airport.
On Saturday, one of those travelers flew into Atlanta and attempted to enter the country. However, he was denied entry and detained. In the midst of being returned to his native country, he escaped.
One elected official said he finds the security breach to be disturbing.
"The individual was able to effect his escape through the air vent and simply kind of walk away from the INS holding cell," Atlanta City Councilman Michael Julian Bond told FOX 5.
Law enforcement sources told FOX 5 the man then jumped on MARTA and headed toward the Greyhound bus station downtown, all without being detected.
A member of the Atlanta City Council said a man managed to fly into Atlanta illegally and then escape U.S. Customs and Border Protection during the busiest travel days at the airport.
"There are lots of cameras at the airport. There are cameras on MARTA. He was able to evade the security that we have to effect his escape," Bond said.
Bond told FOX 5 it's troubling to know someone was able to bypass not only one, but two layers of security.
A member of the Atlanta City Council said a man managed to fly into Atlanta illegally and then escape U.S. Customs and Border Protection during the busiest travel days at the airport.
"This individual was literally able to slip through the hands of the federal agencies – and then the second response would have been AP – makes his way on MARTA, presumably, and was only caught some hours later," Bond said.
After catching him at the bus station, authorities put the culprit back on a plane to Chile, his country of origin.
A member of the Atlanta City Council said a man managed to fly into Atlanta illegally and then escape U.S. Customs and Border Protection during the busiest travel days at the airport.
"This isn't some little neighborhood airport. This is the busiest airport on the face of the earth, and making sure there is adequate security, there has always got to be job one," Bond said.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection released the following statement regarding the escape:
On November 25, a male subject applied for admission to the U.S. at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport ultimately the subject was determined to be inadmissible under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and detained pending a return flight. Shortly after, the subject absconded, and later was located by CBP officers. The subject was returned home same day to his country of origin. The circumstances of his absconding from CBP detention remains under investigation.
Councilman Bond says he would like to see an assessment and increase of security so something like this can never happen again.