Well, I thought that only mean't breaking off a chase when it got bad, with reckless driving - a judgement call. But I'm on the outside, just reading about it.
I would say that most likely every smuggler now knows that the simple way to succeed is - speed up. Create the situation they know will result in no pursuit. So it would appear that the policy will generate more dangerous situations, not less. In addition to letting more get through.
That brings me to a general observation. Recently I have seen things on TV like a video of a smuggler T-Boning a Marine in a government truck, in an attempt to push him and his truck out of the way. That was astonishing to me. Years ago, only the craziest of SOBs in Mexico would have attempted something like that. Most were terrified of U.S. law enforcement, because unlike Mexican "law enforcement", you couldn't negotiate or intimidate them.
Not anymore. The PC policies you describe have told them they don't have to be afraid: the U.S. ties up their police and makes them weak. At least that's how the traficantes will undoubtedly interpret it. I believe that's why there is far more violence now than 20 or 30 years ago, not conditions in Mexico, and certainly not because the BP or sheriffs are turning the screws. Quite the contrary.
You are absolutely right about the smugglers. Once Tuscon and Yuma Sectors are shored up with manpower and equipment, I'm afraid we are going to see a lot more violence on the border.