(April 4, 2006)—The U.S. and Mexico plan to expand a joint program to crack down on migrant smuggling, the two countries announced Tuesday.

The move coincides with the start of the peak season of undocumented migrants sneaking north over the border.

The OASISS Program is an intelligence sharing initiative aimed at arresting and prosecuting smugglers.

The program was introduced in August and until now had applied to the areas between San Diego and Yuma, Ariz.

Now, it will also operate from San Diego to El Paso.

Under the initiative, Mexican and U.S. agents share real-time information on the movements of traffickers and exchange evidence to prosecute them in court.

Mexico's President Vicente Fox says the program already has helped put 120 migrant traffickers in prison.

The U.S. Congress is currently debating several reforms to immigration and border security laws.

Under consideration are bills to tighten security and punish undocumented migrants, while other proposals would increase work and citizenship opportunities for them.