Thread: New policies, bad economy deter Brazilians from sneaking int

New policies, bad economy deter Brazilians from sneaking into U.S.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Liz Mineo/Daily News staff
The MetroWest Daily News
Posted Jul 21, 2009 @ 12:21 AM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The number of Brazilians arrested trying to illegally cross the U.S.-Mexico border plunged from 31,000 in 2005 to less than 1,000 in 2008, a result of both increased border enforcement efforts and the country's economic downturn.

The dramatic 97-percent decline, from 31,063 to 977, included in a recently released report by U.S. Homeland Security, is part of a three-year decline in the total number of apprehensions.

The report said that nationwide, border apprehensions numbered 723,840 in 2008, and were at their lowest level since 1976 after having peaked at 1,676,000 in 2000.

For Alan Marcus, a Towson University professor in Maryland who studies Brazilian immigration to the United States and its effects both here and in Brazil, the new numbers are revealing.

"It's a reflection of Brazilians not seeking the United States," said Marcus who has visited Framingham often in his studies. Framingham has a significant population of Brazilians, both legal and illegal. There are approximately 10,000 Brazilian immigrants in MetroWest and perhaps half as many in the Milford area, according to immigrant advocates.

"The word of mouth is that many Brazilians who live here are going back home because there is nothing up here," he said. "People are cutting back on housecleaning services and without construction jobs, Brazilians can no longer survive here."

The first signs of the decline took place in 2006, when the number of Brazilians arrested plummeted to 1,460 from 31,000 the year before.

The drop was a result of both a policy change that allowed immigration agents to deport rather than "catch and release" those arrested at the border, and the new visa requirement for Brazilians traveling to Mexico. It was put in place by the Mexican government, under pressure from the United States.

Still, that doesn't mean Brazilians are not trying to come here illegally, said Marcus. While it's true that they're coming here in fewer numbers, they're using new routes through Guatemala, Cuba and the Bahamas.

For Jessica Vaughan of the Center for Immigration Studies, a group that favors restrictions on immigration, the new numbers bear good news. The poor U.S. economy has played a role in deterring people from coming here illegally, she said, but the decline has most to do with increased resources for enforcement. She cited more agents hired and versions of the fence built along the border, and policy changes. All of that has paid off, she said.

"With fewer job opportunities here, people are less likely to come here illegally," said Vaughan, a Franklin resident. "It's better for people to stay home, and it's better for most American communities to have people coming here legally rather than illegally. In times of economic crisis, it's better to have less immigration than more."

For Vaughan, the decrease in the number of arrests underscores the drop in the number of people trying to enter the country illegally.

The number of foreign nationals apprehended by the Border Patrol decreased 17 percent from 2007 to 2008.

In 2008, Mexicans accounted for 91 percent of the total apprehensions. The next countries were Honduras (2.7 percent), Guatemala (2.3 percent), and El Salvador (1.8 percent).

The report's authors noted that between 2005 and 2008, the percentage of people arrested who were from Brazil, Honduras and El Salvador "declined substantially."

It's a remarkable turnaround, said Marcus, given the fact only a few years before Brazilians had been among the fastest-growing unauthorized populations in the nation.

A previous report by Homeland Security said that between 2000 and 2006, the greatest percentage increases were among immigrants from India (125 percent), Brazil (110 percent) and Honduras (75 percent).

www.metrowestdailynews.com

New policies, bad economy deter Brazilians from sneaking into U.S.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Liz Mineo/Daily News staff
The MetroWest Daily News
Posted Jul 21, 2009 @ 12:21 AM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The number of Brazilians arrested trying to illegally cross the U.S.-Mexico border plunged from 31,000 in 2005 to less than 1,000 in 2008, a result of both increased border enforcement efforts and the country's economic downturn.

The dramatic 97-percent decline, from 31,063 to 977, included in a recently released report by U.S. Homeland Security, is part of a three-year decline in the total number of apprehensions.

The report said that nationwide, border apprehensions numbered 723,840 in 2008, and were at their lowest level since 1976 after having peaked at 1,676,000 in 2000.

For Alan Marcus, a Towson University professor in Maryland who studies Brazilian immigration to the United States and its effects both here and in Brazil, the new numbers are revealing.

"It's a reflection of Brazilians not seeking the United States," said Marcus who has visited Framingham often in his studies. Framingham has a significant population of Brazilians, both legal and illegal. There are approximately 10,000 Brazilian immigrants in MetroWest and perhaps half as many in the Milford area, according to immigrant advocates.

"The word of mouth is that many Brazilians who live here are going back home because there is nothing up here," he said. "People are cutting back on housecleaning services and without construction jobs, Brazilians can no longer survive here."

The first signs of the decline took place in 2006, when the number of Brazilians arrested plummeted to 1,460 from 31,000 the year before.

The drop was a result of both a policy change that allowed immigration agents to deport rather than "catch and release" those arrested at the border, and the new visa requirement for Brazilians traveling to Mexico. It was put in place by the Mexican government, under pressure from the United States.

Still, that doesn't mean Brazilians are not trying to come here illegally, said Marcus. While it's true that they're coming here in fewer numbers, they're using new routes through Guatemala, Cuba and the Bahamas.

For Jessica Vaughan of the Center for Immigration Studies, a group that favors restrictions on immigration, the new numbers bear good news. The poor U.S. economy has played a role in deterring people from coming here illegally, she said, but the decline has most to do with increased resources for enforcement. She cited more agents hired and versions of the fence built along the border, and policy changes. All of that has paid off, she said.

"With fewer job opportunities here, people are less likely to come here illegally," said Vaughan, a Franklin resident. "It's better for people to stay home, and it's better for most American communities to have people coming here legally rather than illegally. In times of economic crisis, it's better to have less immigration than more."

For Vaughan, the decrease in the number of arrests underscores the drop in the number of people trying to enter the country illegally.

The number of foreign nationals apprehended by the Border Patrol decreased 17 percent from 2007 to 2008.

In 2008, Mexicans accounted for 91 percent of the total apprehensions. The next countries were Honduras (2.7 percent), Guatemala (2.3 percent), and El Salvador (1.8 percent).

The report's authors noted that between 2005 and 2008, the percentage of people arrested who were from Brazil, Honduras and El Salvador "declined substantially."

It's a remarkable turnaround, said Marcus, given the fact only a few years before Brazilians had been among the fastest-growing unauthorized populations in the nation.

A previous report by Homeland Security said that between 2000 and 2006, the greatest percentage increases were among immigrants from India (125 percent), Brazil (110 percent) and Honduras (75 percent).

www.metrowestdailynews.com