What is the cost for one person to cross the Mexican-US border?

Outline of Important Themes

  1. Impact of Policy Changes on Border Control

    • Removal of the Remain In Mexico policy by Biden
    • Shift in control to Mexican drug cartels
    • Financial implications for individuals and businesses
  2. Economic Growth of Cartels
    • Transformation into an $18 billion business
    • Four-year financial extrapolation
  3. Scale of Human Smuggling and Border Breaches
    • Over 8 million people escorted by cartels
    • One million detected but not apprehended
    • Use of surging tactics by cartels
  4. Associated Criminal Activities
    • Influx of fentanyl, gang members, convicted criminals
    • Sex trafficking of minors
  5. National Security Concerns
    • U.S. Border Patrol’s perspective on the threat
    • Statistics on apprehensions and evasion
    • Concerns about “got-aways” and their intentions
  6. Interviews and Personal Insights
    • Exclusive interview with U.S. Border Patrol chief Jason Owens
    • Owens’ concerns and unanswered questions regarding the border crisis

What is the cost for one person to cross the Mexican-US border?

Impact of Policy Changes on Border Control

Since President Biden took office, one of his first actions was to remove the Remain In Mexico policy by executive order, fundamentally changing the dynamics at the southern border. With this policy rescinded, the Mexican drug cartels swiftly took control. This has not only influenced the operational scope of border security but has also had dire financial implications.
The cost of crossing the border has surged to up to $15,000 per individual, which is a significant burden on those seeking entry into the United States. The cartels have essentially capitalized on the policy vacuum and are now the de facto rulers of the border crossing landscape.
Economic Growth of Cartels
In a startling transformation, this illegal border crossing business has ballooned into an $18 billion dollar industry. By running the numbers over the four years of Biden’s administration, the sheer magnitude of this economic boom becomes evident. The cartels have mastered the art of profiteering from the desperation of migrants, turning a law enforcement challenge into a lucrative business.
Scale of Human Smuggling and Border Breaches
 Adding to the complexity, over eight million people have been escorted to border crossings by these cartels. Moreover, there are more than one million individuals who were detected but never apprehended. The cartels use cunning tactics, like surging a crossing to overwhelm Border Patrol agents with processing duties, only to divert their main operations elsewhere. This subterfuge allows them not just to smuggle people but also to flood the country with fentanyl, gang members, convicted criminals, and sex-trafficked minors.
Associated Criminal Activities
The influx of these unsavory elements is particularly worrisome. Along with the innocent and vulnerable, the cartels are bringing in dangerous substances like fentanyl, as well as members of violent gangs, convicted criminals, and sex-trafficked minors. This adds layers of social and criminal complications that local law enforcement agencies struggle to manage, further exacerbating the crisis at the border.
 National Security Concerns
From a national security standpoint, the crisis at the border is more critical than ever. Jason Owens, the U.S. Border Patrol chief, labeled it a “national security threat” in an exclusive interview with CBS News. Owens disclosed that Border Patrol is inching towards recording one million apprehensions of migrants between ports of entry on the U.S.-Mexico border for the fiscal year 2024. This is set to be the third consecutive year his agency would record two million apprehensions by the end of the fiscal year in September.
Got-Aways: The Unseen Threat
However, what truly keeps Owens up at night is the 140,000 known got-aways—migrants detected by cameras and sensors who elude capture. These individuals are an enigma: Why are they taking such high risks to cross in areas that are hard to patrol? What are they hiding? “Why are they risking their lives and crossing in areas where we can’t get to?  What do they have to hide?”
Owens asked rhetorically. The unknowns surrounding their intentions, cargo, and origins are unsettling and pose a genuine danger to American communities.
Interviews and Personal Insights
 In his first exclusive interview as Border Patrol chief, Owens conveyed a sense of urgency and deep concern regarding the unanswered questions about these migrants. “Those things for us are what represent the threat to our communities,” he emphasized. The collective unknowns surrounding the got-aways underscore the multidimensional threat this border crisis poses, not just from a humanitarian angle but also from a national security perspective.
Indeed, the current situation at the southern border is complex and profoundly concerning, necessitating a multifaceted approach to address the myriad challenges effectively.

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