2008 Migrant Death Count

reprint from Center for Latin American and Border Studies, NMSU

In a grim disclosure, Mexico's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) recently released its count of the number of Mexican migrants who died struggling to reach El Norte in 2008 so far. Until June 9, the SRE documented the deaths of 117 migrants who perished while attempting to cross the Mexico-US border.

According to the SRE, most of the deaths, or 72 to be precise, were registered in the state of Texas. The McAllen area of the Lone Star State proved to be the deadliest point for would-be border crossers, with 26 undocumented Mexicans losing their lives in the zone. Additionally, 14 migrants died in the El Paso area and 4 around Eagle Pass.

Nonetheless, the dangerous terrain surrounding Tucson, Arizona, was the deadliest single zone for migrants, claiming 40 lives during the first half of the year. The Arizona numbers suggest migrant deaths could be on a downswing in comparison to the last two years. Still, it's important to note the reported deaths were registered before some of the hottest days of the year pound the border region.

The US Border Patrol's Tucson Sector reported 204 migrant deaths during the 2007 fiscal year that ended on September 30 of last year. The death toll represented a 21 percent increase from fiscal year 2006, when 165 deaths were registered. However, the Tucson-based Human Rights Coalition reported a higher death toll for the region than did the Border Patrol. The immigrant rights group cited 237 deaths for FY 2007, a number 32 higher than in FY 2006, when the coalition documented 205 deaths.

In 2007, 409 Mexican migrants died in the entire Mexico-US border region, according to the SRE. Official Mexican migrant death statistics for this year report most victims were individuals in the 18 to 45-year-old age category, with the death of one minor recorded.

Since 2001, the SRE has tallied the deaths of 2,956 Mexican migrants in the northern borderlands. The federal agency has identified the main causes of death as dehydration (1062), drowning (583) and vehicle accidents (247). In terms of geographic origin, ill-fated migrants from the states of Mexico, Guanajuato and Mexico City topped the list ofvictims.

Sources: La Jornada, July 6, 2008. Frontera/SUN, December 31, 2007.

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New Mexico State University
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Child Protective Services Gone Wild

The taking of hundreds of children from an alleged polygamist "compound" in Texas is not an isolated incident. Government agencies in other states exercise extra-constitutional authority to remove children from their homes under the guise of protecting children. Because of the nature of the agencies -- no one wants a truly abused child to be left in or returned to an abusive situation -- it is difficult to question this authority. But the taking of children from their homes by the government is an issue that deserves scrutiny.

In 2004 in Indiana, for example, according to this Indianapolis Star article (pdf) from 2006, the state's Child Protective Services removed 7,689 children from their homes and returned just 605. With 7000 children placed into foster care each year, it's no wonder that the state is over-extended in just this area alone.

Questions need to be raised. In a principally rural state with just 1.5 million children under the age of 18, are 7000 truly in abusive domestic situations? How much evidence is required to take a child? Many parents spend thousands of dollars and hours of court time to regain custody of children who were improvidently taken. Where is the balance?

Analyzing Voter Registration as a Factor of Low Turnout at the Polls

A recent paper from Princeton University explores how difficult it is to factor voter registration into turnout at the polls. It appears to be a step to help researchers learn how turnout can be increased. The author cites several reasons for low and inaccurate voter registration, including the mobility of Americans; every time you move, you have to figure out how to register, where to do it, and then actually register.

The paper concludes that the group of eligible voters that needs the most attention is youth. Younger voters move more frequently, attend school away from home, and enter military service. These factors contribute to a low youth vote registration. The paper is available here.