Christian Ballesteros, who has been at a shelter for immigrants in Matamoros, Mexico, across the border from Brownsville, Texas, pointed to stiffer US penalties for repeat offenders and brutal criminal groups that control the Mexican side of the border as reasons for the immigration decline. Ballesteros, who has been deported four times, was recently caught after hopping the border fence near Nogales, Arizona.
"The Mexican cartels are taking over, are actually being like the border patrols on this side," Ballesteros said. "They say: 'If you don't pay, we're going to cut your head off.' That's the worst part."
After his last apprehension by US authorities, Ballesteros was sent to a detention facility in Las Vegas for two months. He fears it could be six months, if he is caught again.
"You can lose money, but if you lose time, there's no way you can recover that time," Ballesteros said, noting that many immigrants have families to support.
Jeffrey Passel, a senior demographer at Pew who co-wrote the analysis, said Mexican immigration may never return to its height during the mid-decade housing and construction boom, even with the US economy recovering. He cited longer-term factors such as a shrinking Mexican workforce.
He noted that government statistics show a clear shift among Mexican workers already in the US who are returning home. He said the numbers are a sign that many immigrants are giving up on life in the US.
【Illegal immigrants return to Mexico】相关文章:
★ Netizens go to court over 1 yuan trips
★ Police detain 21 in alleged coal mine cover up
★ Taxis get subsidy to soften fuel hike blow
★ Korean-American Kim to lead World Bank
★ Afghan Taliban say US must rebuild trust
★ Despite ban, smoking is rampant in Internet bars
★ Nepal pensioner claims to be shortest man
★ Obama hits back in Russia 'hot mic' row
★ Syrian FM urges foreign journalists to respect rules
★ Visitors flock to plant despite risk
最新
2020-08-21
2020-08-20
2020-08-19
2020-08-06
2020-08-05
2020-08-05