BORDER ACTIVITY: PROBLEMS CHANGE, THEY DON'T GO AWAY

Statistics indicate that, in general, illegal activity such as drug
smuggling and the entry of undocumented immigrants is declining along
the southern border.

There could be a number of reasons for this.

Supervisory Border Patrol Agent Valeria Morales said more agents on
patrol -- "boots on the ground" -- the border fence and
border-monitoring technology have combined to cut the number of
undocumented immigrants intercepted.

"All of these factors have made it more difficult for immigrants to
cross the border illegally," she said.

Then, migrants have the problem of avoiding the violence in Mexico as
they travel to the border, and escaping the intense violence along the
border.

Navigating that violence is made more difficult and deadly because
thugs -- cartel-connected or otherwise -- are targeting migrants for
killing or kidnapping.

And it's also possible that more people are choosing to flee south
rather than coping with northern-border violence.

But the decrease in smuggling people and drugs doesn't mean things are
calm along the border.

The Border Patrol notes that agents are seeing more juveniles engaged
in smuggling drugs and immigrants.

There was a slight increase in assaults on Border Patrol agents last
year over the previous fiscal year.

And you'll recall that a 130-foot tunnel was discovered in June,
running under the Rio Grande from Juarez to El Paso. Although tunnels
have been discovered elsewhere along the border, this was a first for
the El Paso Sector of the Border Patrol.

Problems along the border may be different, but they aren't going
away.

Violence in Mexico along the border and elsewhere still governs what
happens in the country, whether it be going to work or trying to cross
the border into the U.S.