After slowing down at the beginning of President Trump’s term, illegal immigration into the United States is once again on the rise, with thousands of immigrants crossing the border every day. While immigration levels aren’t nearly what they were during the Bush administration, they nonetheless are increasing above the levels seen during the Obama administration, with officials claiming that government resources along the border are at the breaking point.
More than 100,000 immigrants crossed the border in April, the second straight month over 100,000, and a six percent increase from March. Those are the highest numbers since 2007. Perhaps more importantly, an increasing number of those apprehended are families or those claiming to be families. Government officials expect to see an even higher number of apprehensions this summer, perhaps as many as 150,000 per month, if efforts to secure the border aren’t successful.
The surge in immigration has a number of causes. For one thing, conditions in Central American countries continue to be poor, with extensive political corruption, poor job prospects, and rampant crime. That causes large numbers of people to migrate in order to seek a better life. Many of those immigrating already have family or relatives in the United States and are seeking to join them.
Then there’s the fact that President Trump has proclaimed his desire to strengthen the border with a border wall. Undoubtedly many immigrants are speeding up their plans to reach the United States, hoping to get through to the US before the wall goes up. And finally, with news agencies still reporting on the rosy economic picture and abundance of jobs, many immigrants undoubtedly still feel that they have numerous opportunities in the US.
None of this bodes well for a resolution to the crisis, as the administration continues trying to resettle immigrants within the US. Popular sentiment in many corners continues to call for strengthened controls at the borders, so the surge in immigration will put increasing pressure on President Trump to come up with a viable solution to end this crisis.
This article was originally posted on Red Tea News.
