Since the launch of Operation Gatekeeper in 1994, the number of people caught illegally entering the United States from Mexico has dropped by 50%. Increased enforcement at the western end of the border pushed determined border crossers east into the desert. Between 300 and 500 men and women die each year while making this dangerous crossing; lured by the promise of a steady paycheck in the U.S. and the promise of reunification with family members.
The American Civil Liberties Union of San Diego and Imperial Countries recently released a report calling on the world community to recognize border crossing deaths as an international humanitarian crisis, and shift border enforcement to search and rescue.
Host Pam Hardy speaks with ACLU board member and California Western Associate Dean for Academics William Aceves about the ACLU report and its recommendations to reduce the number of deaths at the border.
