US is slowing the flow of illegal immigration

But despite dips in key stats, Border Patrol's Tucson Sector is still ground zero

By Brady McCombs
Arizona Daily Star

Tucson, Arizona | Published: 10.29.2008

Apprehensions, border deaths and pounds of marijuana seized — three key indicators of illegal border activity compiled by the U.S. Border Patrol — each dipped in the recently completed fiscal year in the Tucson Sector.

The sector's chief, Robert W. Gilbert, cited the decreases as evidence of the agency's success in slowing illegal immigration, but he stopped short of proclaiming control of the 262-mile stretch of U.S.-Mexico border that has been the busiest along the Southwest border for apprehensions since 1998, for border deaths since 2002, and for marijuana seizures since 2003.

"It's a sign that we are on the right path," Gilbert said Tuesday at a news conference in Tucson. "We had successes in '08 and I think our numbers prove that out, but we are long ways from saying we are where we want to be with border control."

The Tucson Sector remains the busiest of the nine Southwest border sectors. Despite accounting for only 13 percent of the nearly 2,000 linear miles, the sector accounted for 50 percent of marijuana seized, 45 percent of apprehensions made and 43 percent of border deaths recorded.

With the numbers dropping across the Southwest border, many immigration experts have pointed to the downturn in the U.S. economy as the main reason behind the slowdown. Gilbert, however, believes it plays only a minor role in the decreases. Construction is the only industry that employs a significant number of illegal immigrants that has been hit hard, he said.

"The service industry, where the majority of the people that are trying to come illegally work, has not suffered a downturn," Gilbert said. "I think the majority of it is a sound operational strategy and starting to see the resources it's going to take to move the strategy forward."

Numbers in decline
Apprehensions made in the Tucson Sector dropped for the fourth straight year, down 16 percent from 2007. Southwest border apprehensions dropped for the third straight year, down 18 percent from 2007.
The number of border deaths recorded in the Tucson Sector decreased to 167 — a 17 percent drop from the 202 bodies discovered in 2007 but still more than any total prior to 2004. On the Southwest border, the total decreased for the third straight year.

The pounds of marijuana seized in the Tucson Sector and borderwide dipped for the first time since 2000.
NOTE: Fiscal year runs from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30.

Border Patrol Sectors
The Tucson Sector's 262 miles account for 13 percent of the U.S.-Mexico border's nearly 2,000 linear miles, but the Tucson Sector is the busiest of the nine Southwest border sectors. In fiscal year 2008, which ended on Sept. 30, the sector accounted for 50 percent of marijuana seized, 45 percent of apprehensions made and 43 percent of border deaths on the Southwest border. The shares of apprehensions and marijuana seized increased slightly from 2007 when they accounted for 44 percent of apprehensions and 48 percent of marijuana seized. The percentage of border deaths dropped from 51 percent in 2007.

Border Patrol Tucson Sector chief Robert W. Gilbert talks about security and other border issues. Page B1

On StarNet: Find a searchable database of the deaths at the border by visiting go.azstarnet.com/borderdeaths.

http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/border/264648