A crackdown on people crossing the U.S.-Mexico border using stolen or fake identification is jamming Chula Vista Superior Court, causing prosecutors and defense attorneys to scramble to cover the caseload. "We've been inundated with cases that charge using false identification to gain entry to the United States," said Sharyn Leonard, who supervises the south San Diego County branch of the county Public Defender's Office. Between March 5 and March 23, 66 felony false-ID cases have ... [full story]

GLEN COVE, N.Y. - A house fire on New York's Long Island killed at least 35 dogs and cats but several other pets survived, police said. Authorities said a woman in her 40s lived in the Southampton home with 30 dogs, 20 cats, three turtles, two possums, two crows, a rabbit, a squirrel and a python, New York Newsday reported. Twenty dogs and 15 cats died of smoke inhalation in Wednesday night's fire. The rest were ... [full story]

State is 29th to adopt unifying language policy for all residents Idaho Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter signed S. 1172 into law Wednesday, making Idaho the 29th state to adopt English as its official language. Sponsored by Sen. Mel Richardson, the bill makes English the official language of the state government with common sense exceptions for areas such as health care and judicial proceedings. The measure previously passed the Idaho House of Representatives on March 19 ... [full story]

San Diego FBI chief Dan Dzwilewski was scolded and then muzzled by an FBI official in Washington after he commented to The San Diego Union-Tribune in January that then-U.S. Attorney Carol Lam's firing was political and would affect ongoing corruption cases. FBI Director Robert Mueller acknowledged during testimony Tuesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee that one of his subordinates, John Pistole, told Dzwilewski his statements were inappropriate and that he should keep quiet. Mueller also ... [full story]

WASHINGTON - An Indiana man has been sentenced to 27 months in prison for selling more than $700,000 worth of counterfeit computer software on the eBay Internet auction site, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the U.S. Justice Department's Criminal Division and Susan W. Brooks, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, announced today. Courtney Smith, 36, of Anderson, Ind., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarah Barker of the Southern District ... [full story]

Behind closed doors, the Bush administration is moving ahead with its long-held goal to overhaul the nation's landmark law for wildlife protection, something several politicians have tried for years without success. A leaked document shows potential revisions to the Endangered Species Act that could give states more authority over imperiled species, limit the use of some federal safeguards and curb the autonomy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The 114-page document was made public ... [full story]

A former border inspector who accepted more than $70,000 in bribes for allowing illegal immigrants into the country was sentenced to 57 months in prison Monday on bribery and smuggling charges. Richard Elizalda, 56, of Chula Vista, Calif., pleaded guilty to bribery and smuggling charges in September 2006. He admitted accepting between $70,000 to $120,000 in cash and automobiles and said he allowed hundreds of illegal immigrants into the country between 2004 and June 2006, ... [full story]

(Washington, D.C.) - A coalition of governmental, community and conservation organizations said Tuesday there is an urgent need to improve state and community wildfire protection and called on Congress to support increased funding for the State Fire Assistance (SFA) program managed by the U.S. Forest Service. Some of the coalition members that signed a letter in support of the additional funding included the International Association of Fire Chiefs, Denver Water, the National Association of Counties, ... [full story]

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index, which had increased in February, retreated in March. The Index now stands at 107.2 (1985=100), down from 111.2 in February. The Expectations Index declined to 86.9 from 93.8. The Present Situation Index increased slightly to 137.6 from 137.1 in February. The Consumer Confidence Survey is based on a representative sample of 5,000 U.S. households. The monthly survey is conducted for The Conference Board by TNS. TNS is the world's ... [full story]

WASHINGTON - Republican Whip Roy Blunt (Mo.) asked House Democrats today to defend their decision to use the upcoming budget resolution to raise taxes on millions of American families by reinstating the marriage penalty and slashing the amount available to families through the child tax credit: "The absolute last thing American families need this year -- or any other -- is a stiffer, more punitive tax bill. But under the Democrats' budget proposal, hard-working families ... [full story]

Twenty-one percent of Democrats also say they would not vote for United States Senator Hillary Clinton Senator Hillary Clinton is still the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States according to recent polls, even as Senator Barack Obama gains ground on her in the race. However, according to a new Harris Poll, half of U.S. adults say they would not vote for Senator Clinton if she were the Democratic candidate, while ... [full story]

Fraud against US citizens involved funds wired to fake escrow accounts to purchase nonexistent merchandise on eBay, losses reached over $350,000 WASHINGTON – A Bulgarian member of a transnational criminal group has been arrested on U.S. charges by law enforcement authorities in Budapest, Hungary, in connection with an elaborate Internet scheme responsible for defrauding American citizens of over $350,000 – primarily on eBay, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division and FBI ... [full story]

WASHINGTON—ITT Corporation, the leading manufacturer of military night vision equipment for the U.S. Armed Forces, has admitted sending classified materials overseas and will pay a $100 million penalty, Assistant Attorney General for the National Security Division Kenneth L. Wainstein and U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia John L. Brownlee announced today, along with the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The corporation will pay a total monetary ... [full story]