Migrant Smuggling Data and Research

estimates are close to each other (see Passel and Cohn, 2011; Hoefer, Rytina and
Baker, 2012). However, estimates on unauthorized immigrants already inside the
United States cannot be used as a proxy to examine migrant smuggling activities.
Not all illegal residents arrived in the United States with the help of smugglers.
Another data source that offers a proxy of the volume of migrant smuggling
activities is the official statistics on the arrests of migrants attempting to cross
into the United States as shown in the following figure.
Figure 12.1: Arrests of foreign nationals at United States borders
Figure 12.1 depicts the trends of the number of apprehensions of
unauthorized migrants attempting to cross into the United States. It appears
that over the past decade, the volume of illegal crossings into the United States
have been on a steady decline, particularly among Mexicans. In the past two
years, the number of arrests at the border for Mexicans and those from other
countries (that is, other than Mexicans or OTMs) were about the same. It
appears increased border security and intensified deportation efforts of illegal
immigrants by the Government of the United States have produced some
deterrence effect, contrary to what Cornelius and Lewis (2007) had argued.
However, other causes may also have contributed to the observed declines. For
instance, improved economic situation in Mexico may have reduced the push
factor would-be migrants, and the impact of global financial crisis on the United
States domestic job market (Papademetriou and Terrazas, 2009). The hostile
social climate and anti-immigrant sentiments among Americans may also make
the country a less desirable place to go, at least for the Mexicans.
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12. United States