Checkpoints INSIDE the US border are ineffective and a waste of resources. Consider these 2008 numbers from the Border Patrol itself:
TUCSON SECTOR:
International (Mexican) Border Interdictions=320,000; Number of interdictions per agent=116
Non-border (inside U.S.)* Interdictions=1,800; Number of interdictions per agent=8
ALL SECTORS:
International Border Interdictions=704,000
Non-border (inside U.S.) Interdictions=17,000
The 17,000 figure represents 2.4% of interdictions, but it took 4% of agents to accomplish this goal.
It’s no surprise that interdictions on the actual border are 14 times more effective than checkpoints 100 miles inside the US border. If you wonder why there is so much illegal activity in the U.S., then just consider this statement made by the GAO’s Richard Stana. He said, “The federal role is to detect and apprehend 30% of major illegal activity [at the border].” If my math is right, that would mean that the federal government, by design, concedes that 70% of illegal activity will make it across the border.
It seems to me that the more effective technique should be used, rather than agents interacting with law-abiding people who have not even left the country.
Source:
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09824.pdf
Report number 09-824, August 2009
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