2008 Woodie Awards
Op-Ed: Prevention through Deterence
National defense strategy or international disaster?
Justin Boren
Issue date: 2/14/07 Section: Opinions
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Since 1993 the U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) has pursued a strategy of "Prevention Through Deterrence." The basic strategy is two-fold: building physical barriers and increasing surveillance using advanced technology along the border and increasing surveillance along major arteries leading away from the border will allow them to effectively combat illegal immigration into the United States. This, however, is far from accurate. Despite tripling the size and quadrupling the budget of the USBP in the last decade, the estimated number of illegal immigrants entering the U.S. annually has remained at a relatively constant 500,000. What Prevention Through Deterrence has produced is a situation in which human lives are lost in greater numbers along the border every year. Human smuggling networks are growing in size and resources and environmental degradation is occurring on a massive scale.
The USBP has, so far, been responsible for building "fences" in four high-traffic corridors including San Diego and El Paso. Rather than slowing immigration, these fences have pushed the influx of illegal immigrants into increasing remote and harsh environments. Crossing the vast desert often requires a trek of up to four days. Most illegal immigrants undertake this journey with just a plastic one-gallon jug of water and a small backpack. They are forced to cross through mountain ranges to avoid the USBP surveillance vehicles and aircrafts. In the mountains, temperatures can reach over 100*F during the day and drop to near freezing temperatures at night. The increasing frequency of treks through unknown and dangerous terrain has produced a spike in deaths, despite greater difficulty in locating the deceased. In 1994, there were only 23 reported crossing deaths. Since October 1, 2006 there have been 205 reported deaths in Arizona alone.
Due to the length and difficulty of crossing routes, immigrants are relying on human smugglers more than ever. Those who cannot pay are frequently forced to put up their homes, or the homes of relatives, as collateral for the journey. Those who cannot pay are often used as drug mules or sold into prostitution and indentured servitude upon reaching the United States.
The USBP has, so far, been responsible for building "fences" in four high-traffic corridors including San Diego and El Paso. Rather than slowing immigration, these fences have pushed the influx of illegal immigrants into increasing remote and harsh environments. Crossing the vast desert often requires a trek of up to four days. Most illegal immigrants undertake this journey with just a plastic one-gallon jug of water and a small backpack. They are forced to cross through mountain ranges to avoid the USBP surveillance vehicles and aircrafts. In the mountains, temperatures can reach over 100*F during the day and drop to near freezing temperatures at night. The increasing frequency of treks through unknown and dangerous terrain has produced a spike in deaths, despite greater difficulty in locating the deceased. In 1994, there were only 23 reported crossing deaths. Since October 1, 2006 there have been 205 reported deaths in Arizona alone.
Due to the length and difficulty of crossing routes, immigrants are relying on human smugglers more than ever. Those who cannot pay are frequently forced to put up their homes, or the homes of relatives, as collateral for the journey. Those who cannot pay are often used as drug mules or sold into prostitution and indentured servitude upon reaching the United States.
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Bill
posted 2/14/07 @ 11:27 AM EST
There's very simple way to stop illegal immigrants from dying in the desert: Stop sneaking in here illegally and obey our immigration laws. How many US homeless citizens die each year on the streets, or because they can't afford their medicines? Who cares about that? But by all means, let's worry about criminal lawbreakers possibly dying in the desert. (Continued…)
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