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U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials say the last year Border Patrol apprehended fewer people than last year was almost two decades ago.
The 124,631 “apprehensions” by Border Patrol in Arizona in 2012 is the lowest number in 19 years, and the agency says that’s how they measure attempted border crossings.
In plain English, according to CBP, fewer people are trying to cross the border.
CBP gives credit to “historic levels of personnel, technology, and resources the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has dedicated to the Southwest border under this Administration.”
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The Associated Press reports that there were also more Border Patrol agents in the state (5,100) last year, than at any other point.
That would appear consistent with at least one study that found that the number of unauthorized Mexican immigrants in the United States might actually be decreasing.
On the other hand, it looks like the results from CBP are mixed in other states — both California and New Mexico had decreases in apprehensions last year, but Texas didn’t. Border Patrol apprehended 118,911 people in 2011, and 172,335 in 2012.
