Jose Franco says the reports haven't helped him directly. But, he knows a few folks who have been able to dodge border patrol agents. He says the reports should continue.

Drive time traffic reports. They're as much a part of most radio stations' programming as music or commercials. A radio station can sell the reports to businesses as sponsorships. Or offer them as a public service. One Spanish-language radio station in San Antonio, Texas gives a whole new meaning to the term public service, by providing a different kind of report.

ERNIE: This listener of Spanish language radio station K-R-O-M, F-M in San Antonio is calling in a warning. A warning to illegal immigrants who might be among the station's more than 100-thousand daily listeners. Four-ten and Ten are two of San Antonio's expressways. The caller is identifying Immigration and Naturalization Service border patrol agents by a code name: "limones verdes"or "Green lemons".

K-R-O-M began airing border patrol agent sightings in late April during it's morning drive time show "Matty y Ramon en la Manana", "Matty and Ramon in the Morning".

Station program director Roger Leal says it all started by accident. One morning they received a call from a listener who had been stopped by border patrol agents.

LEAL: "The person he was riding with was being deported, and he wanted us to say good-bye to his friend. It was all in fun, and we did. We said good-bye, the guy was supposedly wearing a walkman and would be able to hear us say good-bye to him on the air. After we did that, we had a bunch of calls the next day, and later on that same day actually, asking if we had any reports on where the border patrol was and we had a bunch of phone calls letting us know where the border patrol was so that we could let people know."

The code name "limones verdes" was chosen by the listeners. Leal says there were more than one hundred suggested code names, but "limones verdes" was the one most preferred.

LEAL: "The reason for that was that, verdes because of their uniform and limones because they'll sour your whole day."

Leal says the sighting reports are all done in fun. He says some agents have called and said they have a sense of humor. But, District Border Patrol Deputy Chief Richard Marroquin in Laredo, Texas says he doesn't agree with Leal, even though they've been called worse names.

Yet, at the same time Marroquin says the reports are not interfering with the activities of the border patrol. San Antonio is within Marroquin's jurisdiction. He says there are only eight agents stationed in San Antonio, a city with a population of more than one million people. They've been able to apprehend almost five thousand illegal immigrants during the past year.

MARROQUIN: "what's happening is that they're putting out old news. Where we were seen, where we were at, not where we are going."

That's true says Matty Arreola, of the morning show's duo of "Matty y Ramon en la Manana". She says from the time a listener calls in with a sighting, until it finally goes on the air, it's been about 20 to 25 minutes. But, Matty says that doesn't seem to matter to their listeners.

MATTY: "the people out there it's priority, that's why we did this, that's why we're always with them. We try to take care of them."

Matty and her morning co-host, Ramon Loo, can empathize with their listeners. Both are Mexican natives. Matty has been in the United States for nearly nine years. Ramon for only about three. While not citizens of the United States, both are here legally.

To men we'll call Jose Luis and Jose Franco, the reports they like the reports. Even though this is radio, Luis and Franco weren't earner to give me their real names. After all they are in the United States illegally and don't like to take risks. Well, risks that might send them back to their native Mexico. But, after a few minutes I was able to earn their trust.

Both said they like the music of K-R-O-M. But they listen primarily because it does give the "limones verdes" reports. Jose Luis says the reports have been quite helpful.

Jose Franco says the reports haven't helped him directly. But, he knows a few folks who have been able to dodge border patrol agents. He says the reports should continue.

FRANCO: "esta bien porque hay muchas personas que aqui necesitan ayuda. Y cierta forma esta bien ayuda para nosotros porque asi podemos estar tranquilos."

"It's good because there are many people here who need help. And in some form it helps us, because we can have some peace of mind."

While it may give Franco some peace of mind, the media attention Matty and Ramon have gotten lately gave Ramon's father cause for concern. Ever since the New York Times picked up the story from San Antonio's local daily newspaper, they've had countless interviews. The major United States networks and the Spanish language networks Univision, T-V Azteca and Telemundo have interviewed the duo. Ramon's father's concern comes from his belief that an individual has to choose his words carefully.

LOO: "en Mexico asi es no? En Mexico si dices algo, you know, no puedes hablar mucho contra alguien porque si igual puede ser represarios."

"That's the way it is in Mexico. In Mexico you really can't say very much against someone, because there could be repercussion."

Loo assured his father everything was okay, and didn't have to worry. After all, he was in the United States legally.

Lon Burquist teaches media law and policy at Trinity University in San Antonio. He sees nothing legally wrong with the "limones verdes" reports.

BURQUIST: if it ended up interfering with their duties, where they enticed through their comments, enticed people to block or limit the agents then that would be a problem.

Burquist says this sounds like nothing more than grassroots democratic communication.

Ramon Loo says they'll keep doing "limones verdes" reports as long as their listeners keep calling in with information. He says they usually get nine to twelve calls daily of border patrol sightings. Loo says by doing so, he's helping out both the illegal immigrants and the border patrol agents. He says it's almost like the cartoon characters "Tom and Jerry"

"If there are immigrants, there's work for the border patrol agents. There are no immigrants, there's no work for the border patrol agents. Do you know what I mean?"

While "limones verdes" reports seem to be helping the illegal immigrants avoid border patrol agents. Program director Roger Leal says they've helped increase listenership. Since April, ratings have gone up about four-percent.