Arizona Border Data

(Tucson, Arizona) Data indicate the Arizona-Mexico border continues to be porous.

Tucson Sector Border Patrol apprehensions were down more than 40 percent in 2011, which U.S. Customs and Border Protection attributes to technology, improved infrastructure and more employees, CBP announced Friday.

Border Patrol agents working along the 262-miles of international border in Arizona, apprehended 123,285 illegal immigrants during the fiscal year, a reduction of 42 percent from 2010, the Border Patrol said.

Agents also seized 1,039,443 pounds of marijuana, or nearly 520 tons, in 2011 — a slight increase over 2010, the Border Patrol said.

Note that the data only represent captured illegals and seized drugs. Heaven knows how many illegals and contraband slipped through the border undetected.

In any event, expect open-border advocates and the mainstream media to cite the 40 percent decrease in illegal apprehensions as evidence that border controls are working and additional measures are not warranted.

Companion post at ImmigrationWatch.