OTMs on the border

AP/Houston Chronicle:

Local police are accustomed to dealing with illegal border crossings, but they were astounded by the video of 15 Chinese immigrants unfolding themselves from the back of a red Suburban near this small border town.

The vehicle appeared abandoned when police rolled up early on a recent Saturday morning. But when Border Patrol agents arrived and swung open the double rear doors, the Chinese immigrants tumbled out, squinting in the sunlight.

"They were in bad shape," said La Joya Police spokesman Joe Cantu.

The immigrants were silent, able to communicate only with hand gestures.

One man wanted to use Cantu's cell phone. When Cantu asked for the number he was handed one with a 212 area code — New York.

Two more Chinese immigrants would be picked up nearby later that day and another group of nine was caught near the border about 50 miles away a few days later.

More than nine out of 10 illegal immigrants detained at the U.S.-Mexico border are Mexican. But for years, this easternmost sector of the border has had more than its share of what the Border Patrol calls "other than Mexicans" or OTMs. The Rio Grande Valley sector has accounted for as many as half of the border's OTM apprehensions in recent years while having only one-tenth of the total border apprehensions.

During the first seven months of this fiscal year, this sector has nabbed nearly 11,000 OTMs, accounting for one quarter of its total apprehensions.

Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador historically are the main sources of immigrants other than Mexico.

...

Non-Mexicans caught trying to enter the U.S. now are steered into a streamlined process for "expedited removal."

They are detained at centers like Willacy until they go before an immigration judge. Border Patrol credits the end of catch and release with the sharp drop in OTM apprehensions.

Still, "we do encounter people from all over the world," said Daniel Doty, Border Patrol spokesman for the Rio Grande Valley sector.

Just days before the 17 Chinese were picked up in La Joya, 13 Eritreans and five Ethiopians were caught in nearby Hidalgo.

As remote as the Lower Rio Grande Valley may be to even Texas, it is the closest part of the US to Mexico City and Central America. I lived in San Benito, Texas in the Valley when I was in high school and I don't recall this much activity. I worked for the local newspaper while in high school and I think a car load of Chinese immigrants would have been unusual enough to make the paper.

I do think the OTM program has deterred border crossings. It is an example of how having consequences for illegal entry can be an effective way to get control of the border.