NCJ Number
212477
Journal
European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research Volume: 11 Issue: 2 Dated: 2005 Pages: 159-174
Date Published
2005
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This article analyzes the nature and the consequences of the United States border enforcement strategy.
Abstract
During the 1990s there was a sharp increase in the numbers of illegal immigrants, prompting the United States Congress to pass the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act and the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act in 1996, which expanded the power of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and augmented border enforcement efforts. Prior to this legislation, migrants from Central and South America and Mexico could simply travel to border towns and walk or run across the border into the United States. The border enforcement strategy undertaken following the 1996 legislation focused on increasing the numbers of Border Patrol agents, the erection of walls at traffic points, and the use of electronic surveillance. While these efforts have decreased the number of migrants breaching the border, it has resulted in an unintended consequence: the increase in human smuggling. As enforcement efforts pose barriers to reaching the United States, migrants are increasingly turning to human smugglers, who lead migrants on dangerous paths through remote terrain. The authors offer anecdotal evidence of the dangers presented by human smugglers, including the death of migrants not strong enough to make the journey. Implications for border policing and research are presented and include the recommendation to develop a public message campaign identifying the dangers of remote terrain crossings. Footnotes, references