Unauthorized border crossings and migrant deaths: Arizona, New Mexico, and El Paso, Texas, 2002-2003.
OBJECTIVE
We examined the major causes of and risk factors for death among migrants who died while making unauthorized border crossings into the United States from Mexico.


METHODS
Decedents were included in the study if (1) their remains were found between January 1, 2002, and December 31, 2003, in any US county along the 650-mi (1040-km) section of the US-Mexican border from Yuma, Ariz, to El Paso, Tex; (2) their immigration status was unauthorized; and (3) they were believed to have died during transit from Mexico to the United States. Characteristics of the decedents and causes of and risk factors for their deaths were examined.


RESULTS
Among the 409 decedents meeting our inclusion criteria, environmental heat exposure (n=250; 61.1%) was the leading cause of death, followed by vehicle crashes (n=33; 8.1%) and drownings (n=24; 5.9%). Male decedents (n= 298; 72.8%) outnumbered female decedents (n = 105; 25.6%) nearly 3 to 1. More than half of the decedents were known to be Mexican nationals (n=235; 57.5%) and were aged 20 to 39 years (n=213; 52.0%); the nationality of 148 (36.2%) decedents was undetermined.


CONCLUSIONS
Deaths among migrants making unauthorized crossings of the US-Mexican border are due to causes that are largely preventable. Prevention strategies should target young Mexican men, and focus on preventing them from conceiving plans to cross the border, discouraging them from using dangerous routes as crossing points, and providing search-and-rescue teams to locate lost or injured migrant crossers.
Sapkota
Sanjeeb
S
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Ga 30341, USA. ssapkota@cdc.gov
Kohl
Harold W
HW
Gilchrist
Julie
J
McAuliffe
Jay
J
Parks
Bruce
B
England
Bob
B
Flood
Tim
T
Sewell
C Mack
CM
Perrotta
Dennis
D
Escobedo
Miguel
M
Stern
Corrine E
CE
Zane
David
D
Nolte
Kurt B
KB
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000401:mortality; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D001130:Arizona / Q000453:epidemiology; D002423:Cause of Death; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003334:Coroners and Medical Examiners; D003710:Demography; D004332:Drowning; D004641:Emigration and Immigration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006359:Heat Exhaustion / Q000401:mortality; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000208:ethnology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009026:Mortality; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology; D014171:Transients and Migrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*