Defending the borders...works?

Apparently it does. According to a Tucson TV station, detentions along the U.S. border have increased by over 20% during the beginning of June as compared to the same period last year. It seems that much of the decline may be due to the presence of National Guard troops along the frontera.

Referring specifically to a region of the border south of Yuma, near the small border town of San Luis, a border patrol spokesman commented on the decline:

The desert region's blistering June temperatures typically drive down the number of migrants, but not so drastically, said Mario Martinez, a spokesman with the U.S. Border Patrol in Washington.

I spent some time in that exact area while a missionary. It is frequently hotter than 115 degrees during the day, sometimes sustaining temperatures above 100 degrees in the evening. It appears that the troop presence in Arizona may be sending more illegals to California. Regardless of why it is happening, the decline is welcome news, and a sign that this part of the plan may bear fruit. If it does indeed funnel more traffic to other parts of the border, it will allow greater enforcement of those regions.