Obama Claims Illegal Immigration Down 80%

Joe Schoffstall | January 29, 2013
Font Size

During President Obama's speech on Immigration reform today, he stated that illegal immigration crossings are down 80% from its peak in 2000.

However, the Washington Times reports that arrest numbers signal a 9% jump in illegal immigration in 2012.

They write:

"Even as President Obama travels to Las Vegas Tuesday to call for legalizing illegal immigrants, the latest numbers from the U.S. Border Patrol suggest that the flow across the nation’s southwest border jumped by 9 percent last year.

The Border Patrol made 356,873 arrests along the U.S.-Mexico border in fiscal year 2012, up from 327,577 in 2011, according to figures obtained by the Associated Press and confirmed by The Washington Times. Border Patrol officials estimate that apprehensions are a good proxy for illegal crossings, so when the numbers go up, it means that the flow of illegal immigrants is going up as well."

 

donate