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Apparently, the message made its way across the border. When
Donald Trump was elected the welcome mat disappeared. People who intended to
cross America’s Southern border in order to become illegal immigrants had a
change of heart and a change of mind.
The Daily Mail reports a precipitous drop in the number of
illegal immigrants trying to enter the country:
The
number of illegal immigrants attempting to enter the US by crossing the Rio
Grande has fallen dramatically since President Trump took office.
In
March this year, only 4,143 people were detained by Border Patrol Agents at the
notorious river crossing as opposed to 15,579 who were caught in January before
Trump was in full swing in the White House.
The
sharp decline has been chalked down to the president's tough line on
immigration.
Border
Patrol agents said migrants were no longer willing to risk the dangerous
journey and pay steep smuggler fees now that the chances of them being allowed
to stay in the US are so slim.
The
phenomenon at the Rio Grande crossing is not isolated. Only 12,193 people were
arrested across the entire Southwest border in March, 50,000 fewer than in
October.
It tells us that a president’s stated policy can act as a
deterrent to criminal behavior. And it tells us that, in the absence of a real
wall, the president’s words, along with increased enforcement efforts by DHS,
function as a virtual wall.
3 comments:
The Mouth That Roared. The Mouth That Moved Mexicans (to stay home, mostly). Making progress!
Looks like good data, although we could use more than 12 months backwards.
I see the DailyMail article has monthly data back to 2012, and certainly the decline is unique to Trump over this period.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4398530/Rio-Grande-border-crossings-plummet-Trump.html
Of course arrests don't show actual crossings, only those that are caught. I imagine smugglers are going to up their game as well, and change their crossing locations. It seems dangerous for all involved, especially since you never know who has guns.
Its hard to imagine the desperation people must feel to want to live illegally in another country, where they can be exploited or robbed, with no legal protections. Of course, perhaps a majority have some human connections, family or friends who must help shelter them, another dangerous game.
I used to say that if we actually sealed the border with Mexico, they'd have a revolution to change their country. Now, I suspect the narco gangs would take over.
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