With all the talk about border fences, increased border patrol and other means for keeping out illegal immigrants fleeing into the country from Mexico one thing border supporters didn’t take into account was their good friend, the bad economy.
According to a recent release the US Border Patrol has arrested far less people in the last 11 months then they did at the turn of the century. The study found that just 305,755 border patrol arrests have been made in 2011, down from nearly 1.6 million arrests in 2000 (the peak of the illegal immigrant move).
The lower number of arrests come at a time when border patrol has a far further reach then they did in 2000 which shows exactly how few illegal immigrants are trying to enter the United States.
Speaking to the Los Angeles Times one Princeton immigration scholar said of the news:
“We are at a new point in the history of migration between Mexico and the United States.”
That same scholar says his own studies have shown that almost none of the illegal immigrants coming into the country are doing so for the first time.
Among their reasons for not attempting the trip? Increased border control officers (who ironically now have less people to arrest) and the decreasing chance for economic prosperity.
In it’s most basic of terms the “migrant network” is simply telling Mexicans that their are no jobs in the United States and the risk of attempting to enter the country is simply too great to make the trek.
What do you think is keeping illegal immigrants from entering the United States.
[Image via ShutterStock.com ]
