There is a very real and significant human cost to what is considered “illegal” immigration in this country. In July, there were over 60 migrant deaths documented by the Pima County Medical Examiner’s office in Arizona, which handles deaths in three counties. This death toll equals the number of U.S. troops killed in Afghanistan in the deadliest month of the nine-year war.
Heat exposure is the major cause of the deaths, along with hypothermia, drowning and car accidents. The U.S. government’s policies are also implicated in these deaths. The Obama administration has added additional National Guard troops along the border and has also increased funding for high-tech military equipment, including unmanned drones. Immigrants may be taking more out-of-the-way and dangerous routes to avoid the increased military presence.
Increased militarization of the border will not stop workers from crossing the border in search of work; it is only leading to their deaths.
