As U.S. Plugs Border in Arizona, Crossings Shift to South Texas New York Times (06/17/13) Lipton, Eric; Preston, Julia As the U.S. Border Patrol continues to crack down on border crossings in Arizona, the most recent statistics show that illegal crossings have risen in South Texas. This is only the most recent development in an ongoing cat-and-mouse game in which border enforcement increases in one area, only to have migrants shift their focus to another. Even with this change, the most recent crossing statistics still show fewer overall crossings, with 356,873 apprehensions in 2012, compared to 1.6 million at the high point in 2000. That said, crossings do appear to be on the rise, increasing 55 percent in this fiscal year. Crossings in South Texas were also higher than those in Arizona for the first time since 1993. If the Border Patrol is unable to reverse this trend, it could jeopardize new immigration reform legislation currently being debated in the Senate. Conservative lawmakers say there must be "full operational control" of the border before they will consider passing a bill that could grant reprieves to some undocumented immigrants already in the country. In the meantime, the Border Patrol is attempting to increase surveillance in the Rio Grande valley in Texas while not cutting enforcement in Arizona--efforts that have been significantly hindered by recent federal budget cuts. Border officials say officers are making due, doubling up in patrol vehicles and taking other measures to cut fuel costs.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 01:01:32 +0000
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