Mexican Border Arrests Hit 30-Year Low

Bad economy and tougher enforcement combine

(NEWSER) - The number of illegal immigrants in the US plummeted again last year, dropping from 11.6 million to 10.8 million, says the Department of Homeland Security. That’s the second consecutive year it’s fallen, the LA Times reports, and the sharpest drop in at least 30 years. A Homeland Security spokesman said the decline is likely due to both to the “unprecedented resources” now employed to combat illegal immigration and the weak economy. More»

(AP) - A former Justice Department official has been picked to be the Southwest border czar—a new position created by the Obama administration to handle illegal immigration and border issues. The new Homeland Security Department post will be responsible for issues related to drug-cartel violence along the US-Mexico border and the hundreds of thousands of people there who try to enter the US illegally, said an administration official. More»

Troubled system already operational

(NEWSER) - The government has just given the green light to a 28-mile “virtual fence” along the Arizona/Mexico border, the AP reports. The system, which uses cameras, radar, and other sensor devices to detect border jumpers, is already partially constructed, and working. Last week Border Patrol caught 38 would-be illegal immigrants thanks to a system tip off. More»

Immigration boom ending as jobs disappear

(NEWSER) - Looks like we won’t be needing that electric fence , Herman Cain, because the immigrants aren’t coming. A variety of data indicate that fewer Mexicans are coming to the US and many already here are returning, the LA Times reports. Mexican census figures peg net migration at around zero, while US Border Patrol arrests, which are often used to gauge illegal immigration, have plummeted to 304,755 over the past 11 months—down from 1.6 million at their 2000 peak. More»

Only New Mexico's shows up to meet Mexican counterparts

(NEWSER) - The governors of border states in the US and Mexico have been holding a conference to discuss cross-border issues every year for 30 years, but the tradition appears to be withering, the AP finds. New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez was the only one of the four US border state governors to make an appearance this year. Arizona's Jan Brewer and California's Jerry Brown cited pressing issues to deal with in their states, while Rick Perry is away from Texas and on the campaign trail. More»