According to a new report from the Public Policy Institute of California,, tougher border enforcement efforts begun in the early 1990s has failed to reduce undocumented immigration, and may even have the effect of encouraging those to enter unlawfully to remain for lengthy periods of time. The study, which is based on Census data, surveys, and information collected from advocacy groups, also shows that increased enforcement in urban areas has led many migrants to attempt to enter the US through remote areas that are often very dangerous.
Between 1995 and 2001, the budget for border enforcement skyrocketed, and now exceeds $2.5 billion a year. Despite this, there are now about twice as many undocumented immigrants in the US as there were in the mid 1980s. However, the increased enforcement is encouraging people to remain in the US. According to the report, in 2000 only 11 percent of undocumented immigrants returned to Mexico within a year of their arrival in the US. In 1992, 30 percent returned within one year.
The report concludes that economic conditions in the US and Mexico have a far stronger impact on a person’s decision to immigrate than do border enforcement efforts. The report does find that the border strategy has increased the likelihood that a migrant will be stopped by the Border Patrol, but that it has also led to an increase in deaths of migrants.
The report is available online at: http://www.ppic.org/#ppic162.
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