BORDER PATROL PREPARES FOR DANGEROUS SUMMER CROSSINGS
The Border Patrol across the state of Texas has made an early effort to prevent deaths as people attempt to migrate into the U.S. As part of the "Stay Out, Stay Alive" campaign, the Border Patrol is running advertisements on television and radio warn about the dangers from the heat, and well as the possibility of drowning while crossing the Rio Grande. The ads will appear in both U.S. and Mexican media outlets.
Last summer hundreds of undocumented migrants died attempting to cross into the U.S., and there are fears the death toll may be even higher this summer. Meteorologists say this summer should be as hot if not hotter than last summer, and the Rio Grande is faster and deeper than usual this spring. Another potential danger is the American Canal, where 17 died last year. There are plans in Washington, D.C. to build a fence along the U.S. side of the canal to deter crossers.
Of course, given the economic conditions for many Mexicans and the opportunities presented in the U.S., it is not likely any amount of effort can prevent all attempts at crossing the border. As Nathan Selzer of the Immigration Law Enforcement Monitoring Project says, "it is ridiculous to think that publicizing the dangers of crossing into the U.S. is going to deter anyone who is fleeing a war or is trying to feed their family."
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