No Wait! Don't Go! Border Patrol Now Targeting Immigrants Leaving the US

The LA Times reports in "Border busts coming and going " that vehicles leaving the US at the Mexican Border are being searched for drugs, contraband, and er, illegal aliens that are going home.

Once found the immigrants will be 'processed' back to Mexico.  This is not the same as just getting home, since reentering the US illegally is a more serious crime (if an immigrant is  caught later) than a first catch would be.

Officials claim the actions are taken to catch people and vehicles taking contraband and drugs out of the country, but that doesn't explain why every person without paper needs to be 'processed' though I note that anti-immigrant groups have been found that hail the new tactic.

They should think again though.  This will stem the flow of immigrants out one word gets around and the Zellow Times is making sure it will get around.

One of the worst developments we've seen in recent years concerning immigration flow is the increasing tendency for immigrants to stay in the US even when work is low.  That has led to the flooding of cities with in the winter when agricultural jobs are scarce.  

Harassing immigrants as they leave, can only add to the problem.

It can take months of travel, much of it on foot over hostile terrain under abusive and expensive 'guides' to get into the US from Mexico.  To avoid getting on a list might now require the same big money output and danger.

It makes me wonder if agricultural and industry cries about losing their cheap labor got the Bush administration to cook up this scheme. 

tags: immigration  border patrol  

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