After the Crossing, Danger to Migrants Isn’t Over

A wave of violence has hit the Southwest US that is reminiscent of the drug wars of years past. But the victims now are illegal immigrants, caught in the crossfire of competing gangs, not members of rival drug cartels. Because of increased security after September 11, the price demanded for human smuggling across the US-Mexico border has increased drastically, rendering such operations almost as lucrative as smuggling drugs. As a result, gang members are kidnapping illegal immigrants en route to the US and holding them for ransom, often murdering them if prompt payment is not received. One U.S. official described the members of smuggling cartels as killers, rapists, and kidnappers. “The standards that only applied to narco-trafficking now apply to human trafficking,” he said. “We now know we have to focus on these individuals because it's not just a border problem anymore." – YaleGlobal