Border Patrol seeing fewer immigrants in New Mexico

DEMING, N.M. -- The U.S. Border Patrol says fewer immigrants are trying to cross the border along southern New Mexico compared to last year's flow.

Rick Moody, the agent-in-charge of the Deming Border Patrol station, said warmer weather has increased the traffic, "but we're still down 60 percent overall, so that's a good thing."

And, he said, "we have a lot more resources on the ground."

The Deming station has 280-plus agents, compared to fewer than 100 a few years ago.

Some 7,736 immigrants were captured in the Deming area from October 2006, the start of the federal fiscal year, through Monday, said Agent Patrick Berry of the El Paso, Texas, sector office.

The figure is 61 percent lower than last year's 19,949 immigrants in the corresponding period.

The El Paso sector, which includes West Texas and all of New Mexico, has seen a 42 percent decrease since last year, with 29,521 apprehensions through Monday compared to 51,284 for the corresponding period last year.

Moody said the number of immigrants is down because there are more agents in the Deming area and because of the National Guard, which is helping the Border Patrol with surveillance.

But, he said, "This is our traditional busy time. We are watching trends and activity levels."

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Information from: Deming Headlight, http://www.demingheadlight.com

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