Border Walls and Death on the US–Mexico Border: A Hot-Spot Analysis of the Impact of the Secure Fences Act in Arizona

We spatially analyze the locations of migrant deaths before and after the Secure Fence Act of 2006 (SFA). The findings indicate a substantial increase in deaths following the act. Statistical analysis identifies nonrandom clusters, or “hot spots,” where migrant deaths occurred. These clusters appear larger after the SFA’s passage and are concentrated both near and far from the new fencing and within tribal lands. We also create a danger index to assess whether migrants changed their routes to avoid the new border walls and crossed the border in more dangerous terrain. Overlaying the hot spots with the danger index suggests that the SFA did not entirely deter migration but rather induced migrants to take alternative, more dangerous routes.

Find the full article here.