One more time...is border smuggling the catalyst for human trafficking abuses?

Question

IF YOU ANSWERED THE FIRST TIME, PLEASE DISREGARD.

Article Launched:11/ 02/2006 12:00:00 AM MST

Far West Texas and Southern New Mexico's proximity to the U.S.-Mexico border creates a unique environment in which immigrant-smuggling operations can easily change into abusive, exploitative human trafficking, experts said Wednesday at an El Paso conference.
Victims of human trafficking -- who often are manipulated into forced labor, prostitution, sex tourism and pornography -- are typically reluctant to come forward for fear of deportation, recriminations from their trafficker or insecurity about admitting they are victims, experts said.

"The difficult aspect of this is actually identifying the victims," said Paul Piñon, coordinator of the El Paso Human Trafficking Task Force and an organizer of the two-day conference titled "Human Trafficking: Working Together to End Modern-Day Slavery." The conference continues today.

About 300 representatives of law enforcement agencies and social service organizations, such as the Salvation Army and the Diocesan Migrant and Refugee Services, attended the third annual conference.

Piñon detailed several cases in the El Paso area that illustrated crimes possibly related to human trafficking and indicative of the close association of human trafficking and immigrant smuggling.

In one case, police charged two men in October 2005 with unlawful transport for holding an 18-year-old man and an 18-year-old pregnant woman against their will after they had crossed the border into the United States near Fabens.

In another case, police in February this year recovered a 15-year-old Salvadoran girl during an undercover sting operation at the Downtown Greyhound bus station. Her alleged kidnapper tried to hold her in exchange for a $5,500 ransom, Piñon said.

Though local figures were unavailable, officials at the conference Wednesday conference speculated that trafficking in the region is rising and cited a Department of State estimate that about 18,000 people are trafficked annually in the United States. The FBI estimates that human trafficking generates about $9 billion in profit each year.

"During the past few years, we have seen an increase in trafficking in this area, but they're difficult to investigate because victims don't want to cooperate," said Michelle Arriaga, a graduate student who presented a report on local efforts to curb the crime. "If they're in constant fear of being deported, it's very difficult for them to be willing to participate or discuss what's happened to them."

Jennifer Romero, a victim specialist for the FBI in El Paso, said that victims often experience debilitating psychological abuse at the hands of the trafficker, who lures them with the promise of good jobs and assistance navigating through the U.S. immigration process, she said.

Human traffickers use coercion and control, sometimes depriving victims of basic necessities and using long-term manipulation to instill enough fear and doubt to prevent them from reporting to authorities, she said. Victims then can be forced into jobs that are illicit and illegal, such as prostitution and sex tourism.

"Screw with the mind, and the body will follow," she said.

Darren Meritz may be reached at dmeritz@elpasotimes .com; 546-6127.

Spretty, I stated at the beginning of this question: "if you have already answered, please disregard." However, thanks for not being a smartaleck.

Answer 1

Border fence! Boider fence! Border fence! LOL And that's all I've got to say about that! Good one princess!

Answer 2

It is a catalyst, not the catalyst. The point is, much could be done through improved relations and border infrastructure with Mexico to reduce the amount of trafficking taking place.

Answer 3

Ah, you're asking a question that would require several thousand words to answer. The short answer might be, with globalization we would see (theoretically) more justice and less slavery. But that's only on paper. Who knows what really might happen? Mogambo.

Answer 4

Dear Darren:

You have a lot to say in a small place. I find it interesting that the only outlet for your news and information is a rather limited forum such as Yahoo Answers. Life for you must be exceedingly limited in scope and opportunity.

However, to answer your question, let me suggest that
the problem is that there is a way to get in here (USA)
and as long as it is open, people of all types will use it.
At the present time there is not a serious interest in
completely closing the frontier. There has been a lot of hooplah and a few new items like a fence and the limited application of reserves to augment the Border Patrol,
but I think that you will agree those are limited in scope.

How long did you say our borders are? Did you mention that fact? Oh, I see that fact was not mentioned in your
question. Well, counting the total coastline (they could
come into the USA on boats) of the USA, the border of the USA-Mexico, and the USA-Canada, would you say
that the total distance to be patroled might be about 12,000 miles give or take. If that is roughly it, how many troops would you suggest homeland security should deploy to halt illegal crossings for "any" reason? If we stationed 2 men every mile on 24 hour duty (that is 6 men on 8 hour shifts, and 2 on leave) or 8 x 12,000 miles =
96,000 men on duty with zero support. Add clerical, logistical, legal, and administrative support and the
rational figure might be 140,000 men and women. A
deployment such as that is equivalent to our entire force now stationed in Iraq. Is that what you propose we do?

It is always difficult to respond to a question with another question, but your posting leaves little choice because you did not present a solution for us to agree or disagree with, you only posed an problem issue.

So I will continue with our contrived solution...
140,000 deployed border guards will require a minimum of one vehicle of some type per 8 people at least.
The vehicles might range from humvees to deuce and a halfs with assorted semi's and my math shows that about 17,000 will be needed at an average cost of $35,000 per vehicle. = $ 595,000,000 at the very least, not including communications sets and service vehicles.

This does not provide any payroll for the troops and the support community they require. At a bare minimum of $20,000 per year salary each let us suggest a payroll of $ 2,800,000,000 for the standing force of border guards.

Now, sir, all of those troops and support employees will need office and headquarters space with telephone service and the various standard utilities common to any business establishment. My estimate for those facilities is that a minimum of 48 would be required for 12,000 miles of frontier with a spacing of one per 250 miles of border coverage. While some former military bases might be utilized the operating costs still apply and renovations as required will probably equate to costs of build as new. So, I would estimate 48 new facilities at $5,000,000 each = $ 240,000,000 initial cost with $ 24,000,000 yearly costs of operation.

Did you have in mind suggesting such a program to the United States Population? Or, was your suggestion something larger, or smaller, or significantly different in some way?

Answer 5

I think it is horrendous what is being done to these workers....It doesn't surprise me, that they would be abused in such a way being they have come here illegally and believe they have no rights.....These people are defenseless, being victimized in their own country, and now in this country.....Human traffickers are the worst kinds of human beings....Essentially slave traders....

Answer 6

Ok, I answered this nice and seriously last night girl, but tonight I just gotta ask--- Why???

Answer 7

I'm with gokart - BUILD THAT FENCE!!