New figures released by Customs and Border Protection show the number of illegal immigrants entering Texas in human smuggling operations is up by 25% this year, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
More than 700 illegal immigrants have been rescued from human smuggling operations so far in 2017, the vast majority of them, like the ten immigrants who died in a sweltering tractor trailer found in San Antonio in July, have been found stuffed into big trucks.
Dr. Guadalupe Correa, who is an expert on the operations of Mexican drug and human smuggling cartels, tells News Radio 1200 WOAI the number one reason for this is stepped up border enforcement.
“Because of these efforts, more and more people are looking for smugglers to make it into the United States,” she said.
She says due to the hardening of the southern border, the stereotypical image of the illegal immigrant swimming the Rio Grande, walking across the Brush Country and making it to San Antonio or Houston to find work doesn’t apply any more.
“Migrants understand that unless they hire the services of a smuggler, they will not be able to get into the United States, as they were able to do just a few years ago.”
She says the jump in immigrant smuggling cases in 2017, including those where the immigrant dies, are another indication that the problem of illegal immigration can seldom be solved by the country of destination. The best way to stop it, experts say, is to help the country of origin solve the problems which cause migrants to leave in the first place, from poverty to lack of jobs to violent criminal gangs to war.
Experts say the fact that immigrants, who know they are putting their lives into the hands of ruthless cartel members who have no concern about their fate, but are willing to do it anyway, shows that building a wall along the border will result in tens of billions of taxpayer dollars being spent, but will have no impact on reducing the flow of illegal migrants into the U.S.
She says the only thing the U.S. can really do to slow down illegal immigration is to crack down on employers who hire them.
“Enforce immigration by focusing on the illegal employers,” she said. “By giving people a job, that helps generate the incentive.”
IMAGE; GETTY