Apprehensions of illegal aliens at the border are way down…why?

Seems like every where you look these days US Customs and Border Protection is touting statistics that apprehensions of illegal aliens is way down from previous levels. The other day at the meeting between border ranchers and the Border Patrol it was noted that apprehensions in the Nogales Station area had dropped from something like 1,000 a day to 50. Of course the story spin from the Department of Homeland Security is that the much higher numbers of Border Patrol agents deployed in the region is why apprehension levels are way down. But there are many competing theories why the number of illegal aliens being caught in the Tucson Sector has dropped significantly. There are reports coming from all directions originating with whistle blowing BP agents that they have been instructed to look the other way when they encounter illegal aliens, to greatly reduce the number of illegals “seen” who end up being counted as “got aways” or actually caught. BP and DHS officials vehemently deny this claim. All I can say at this point is there are a serious number of people who are willing to testify to Congress under oath this is in fact true. Another equally ominous theory…which is in fact supported by BP officials talking off the record…is that the drug cartels have taken over control of major smuggling routes into Arizona and are “managing” the number of illegal aliens allowed into these corridors so as to not attract a lot of Border Patrol deployment in certain areas…such as west of Nogales. In one scenario the cartels will send a group of illegal aliens into Arizona to attract Border Patrol agents away from another area through which drugs are being smuggled. In a related scenario, the drug cartels are taking total control over the coyote system and flow of illegal aliens as this is a big money-maker. Using spotters on mountain tops in southern Arizona they can direct both caravans of drug smugglers as well as groups of illegal aliens around Border Patrol deployment…of course for a premium charge...more