Patterico's Pontifications

11/8/2007

Border-Crossing Deaths Continue to Drop

Filed under: Immigration — DRJ @ 4:54 pm



[Guest post by DRJ]

There are more agents working to halt the flow of illegal immigrants across the Southern US border, there are fewer illegal crossings, and for the second straight year the number of border-crossing deaths are down:

“The number of illegal immigrants who died while crossing the southern U.S. border fell for the second straight year, officials said Wednesday.

Four hundred people perished while entering from Mexico in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, down 12 percent from the 453 deaths in the previous year. A record 494 deaths were reported in the fiscal year that ended in September 2005. U.S. Border Patrol spokesman Lloyd Easterling said that although the number is still too high, “We feel we have made significant progress this year.”

The Border Patrol attributed the lower numbers to tighter border enforcement that led to fewer illegal crossings and to 2,500 new agents in the field, who can spread out more to seek out immigrants crossing in remote and perilous terrain.”

Nevertheless, one critic claimed this is not good news:

“The Rev. Robin Hoover, founder of the Tucson-based group Humane Borders, said it is likely that other immigrants died whom Border Patrol agents have yet to find. “This is not good news for the Border Patrol, and the Border Patrol shouldn’t treat this as good news,” Hoover said.”

Overall, it sounds like border enforcement works.

— DRJ

11 Responses to “Border-Crossing Deaths Continue to Drop”

  1. It’s also possible the coyotes are using safer routes or taking more precautions. After all, reports of high fatality rates can’t be good for recruiting clients.

    kishnevi (04d158)

  2. Here’s more on Hoover.

    Religious leaders are a strong force supporting illegal immigration, and one of the best ways to deal with that is to point out to their parishioners that their actions actually lead to an increase in border deaths.

    TLB (9163ab)

  3. And don’t discount the huge construction implosion going on. I have a ringside seat working for a framing contractor. San Diego County housing is down at least 60-70% in residential starts compared to the last few years. What little is underway can’t support the prior huge construction and building materials workforce which I can personally attest was heavily Hispanic speaking immigrants, whether legal or not. My company is running at about 25-35% of our capacity. Not only have a number of our guys ‘disappeared’, but I suspect word quickly spread below the border that work was just drying up.

    allan (46788b)

  4. Allan,

    Good point about the construction. I think the economy is going to tank slightly – housing tends to be a precursor of a flat economy. Will probably add to the deterrent factor of no jobs to be found.

    I’m glad the numbers are dropping whatever the reason. On a simply human level many of the people paying coyotes to bring them here are just trying to take care of their families. By cracking down on employers and beefing up border enforcement the number of illegals crossing should continue to drop. Hopefully the people will choose a different way to support their loved ones.

    voiceofreason (8d93c8)

  5. There is some amusing spin in this article.
    LA Times – Apprehensions of border-crossers drop

    Wesson (fd354d)

  6. It could also be that smugglers are charging more to cross because enforcement is up. That, coupled with fewer jobs and/or more difficulty in getting jobs in the US, could mean that fewer people believe getting to America is worth the risk.

    DRJ (5c60fb)

  7. i predict this is going to be a huge issue in ’08 prez election. and if hillarys performance at the last debate is any indication, a huge liability for dems.

    james conrad (7cd809)

  8. And don’t discount the huge construction implosion going on. I have a ringside seat working for a framing contractor. San Diego County housing is down at least 60-70% in residential starts compared to the last few years.

    How many thousands of homes just burned down a couple of weeks ago? I predict a housing boom.

    dave (c44c9b)

  9. #7
    It could be a huge issue but the GOP needs to reframe its message and pay attention to the fact that 58% of the same people polled (in which 70% said illegal immigration is a huge problem and enforcement is a must) also said that a path to citizenship should be part of a plan.

    Adopt the fearmongering tactics used earlier this year and the GOP loses legal Hispanic votes.

    voiceofreason (8d93c8)

  10. By cracking down on employers and beefing up border enforcement the number of illegals crossing should continue to drop. Hopefully the people will choose a different way to support their loved ones.

    A housing boom in Mexico would be nice, wouldn’t it?

    Pablo (99243e)

  11. RE: #9….. look, the fact is america has already seen that during the 80s immigration reform that led to 3 million “new” citizens. now we have 12 million more, theres no way america is buying that BS again, despite the dems pander-thon. theres not going to be any more reforms on that issue till the feds seal the border, simple as that. all the dem prez candidates except maybe dodd are going to have to ‘splain what they are about on this issue before its over and its not loookin real pretty so far

    james conrad (7cd809)


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