High Heat Impacting Border Crossers
March 16th, 2007 @ 6:40am by Kevin Tripp/KTAR

The high heat is having a big impact on illegal immigrants. People crossing the border in southern Arizona are flocking to water stations operated by Rev. Robin Hoover.

"We're starting to see a significant rise in the amount of water consumption," he says.

"Typically, we don't see water consumption dramatically rise until we see 95 degree weather consistently."

He says the water stations are getting quite a workout. "In a year's time, we will dispense over 30,000 gallons of water through our network of 84 stations."

Hoover, with the Tucson-based Humane Borders, says deaths from border crossings are on the rise this year.

"Nothing bodes well currently in the forecast. There were no deaths in southern Arizona in 1995. We've come up to where there's 300 a year documented."

Hoover says his organization does not support open borders, but wants to see immigration reform

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