Posted on 04/16/2004 5:27:43 PM PDT by rs79bm
The number of illegal aliens being apprehended on the southwestern border has jumped 25 percent in the first three months of 2004 compared with last year, and some are blaming President Bush's immigration proposal in January for enticing immigrants across the border. "It doesn't take a rocket scientist to tell you the president's speech was the catalyst for lots of folks to make their way north and try to get into this country in order to get what they accurately believe to be amnesty," said Rep. Tom Tancredo, Colorado Republican and chairman of the House Immigration Reform Caucus.
The increase in apprehensions was driven by a spike within the two Arizona sectors, Yuma and Tucson, which saw increases of 60 percent and 51 percent, respectively. And if apprehensions are increasing, so is the number of illegal aliens making it across the border freely, said Mr. Tancredo and current and former immigration law-enforcement officials, who said they assume for every one person caught, three make it across safely.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
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