Thread: Cuellar: Mexico has taken proactive steps to ease illegal immigration

by Ashly Custer
Posted: 1 hr, 47 mins ago





Following an immigration surge last year, officials said they expect to see an increase in immigration over the next few months.

However, officials don’t believe the influx will be the same magnitude as last year.

The number of immigrant apprehensions by Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol agents tended spike in March based on statistics over the last five years.

"Every year, we end up with a little spike we usually call it our busy season," said Chris Cabrera, the Vice President of the National Border Patrol Council Local 3307.

In fiscal year 2014, U.S. Border Patrol's RGV Sector reported a total 256,393 immigrant apprehensions, which is more than all the other sectors combined nationwide.

Last year, the RGV sector apprehended more than seven times as many family units and more than double the number of unaccompanied minors as it did in 2013.

"We are expecting another busy year – busier than last year. However, we don’t know for sure if it’s going to come, but they’re expecting another one here in the spring or early summer," Cabrera said.

But not everyone agrees.

"We have seen during this time of year compared to last year, the numbers are really low. The numbers have not spiked up," said McAllen based Guatemalan Consul Allan Perez.

Border Patrol released statistics showing the RGV sector apprehended 17 percent fewer families units and had a 48 percent drop in unaccompanied minors, when comparing the first quarter of fiscal year 2015 to the same time frame last year.

“It could be the weather; it could be that Mexico is a little tougher to cross," said Consul Perez.

"Last year, we put in money – I think about $80M or so to help Mexico secure its southern border,” echoed U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-TX. “Mexico is doing a better job. It’s still not secure the way we would like to see it, but it’s a lot better. They stopped things like ‘The Beast,’ which was that train that would bring people from Central America. So, Mexico has taken some very proactive steps."

Cabrera said statistics don’t always tell the whole story.

"We believe our effectiveness rate is between 35 to 40 percent,” Cabrera said.

So is the Rio Grande Valley adequately prepared to handle another large influx of undocumented immigrants?

"I think the U.S. is a little bit more prepared.” Perez said. “Border Patrol has the big facility over at Ursula Street. They are thinking of expanding it in case this happens again. I see how the children are there. I see how family units are there, and if it does happen, I do believe they are going to be a lot better than they were crammed all up in little cells at the Border Patrol stations.”

Cabrera agrees. He thinks that the new centers will be a big help, but out in the field it’s a different story.

"I don’t think we are adequately prepared now out in the field. I mean there’s always room for more agents, and once we start getting hit with these large groups, it'll compound the problem,” Cabrera said. “So I don’t think we are going to be where we need to be. I think we'll be in a little better position than we were last year when it first started, but not necessarily where we need to be.”

Cuellar believes having more judges along the southern border will have a significant impact on illegal immigration because immigrants will go through detention court in a timely fashion, reducing the number of immigrants who do not show up for their detention hearings.

"I'm trying to do everything I can to work with other members of congress to bring other men and women in green to our area,” he said.

http://www.valleycentral.com/news/st...0#.VQOrLeEYNM0

Originally Posted by Jean

Cuellar believes having more judges along the southern border will have a significant impact on illegal immigration because immigrants will go through detention court in a timely fashion, reducing the number of immigrants who do not show up for their detention hearings.

This is essentially a well intentioned waste of time, energy, and money. By now wannabe illegals have learned that the door is wide open to them, thanks to 'Bama.

The way to eliminate, or at least very sharply reduce, illegal entry is to eliminate the jobs magnet. That magnet is responsible for most illegal entry. This means that patriots should be working on getting Universal E-Verify enacted. It won't take long after E-Verify is the law of the land, before wannabe illegals realize that there's no longer any benefit to sneaking into the United States.
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