Border crossing increasingly dangerous for patrolmen & immigrants

There's a great news-analysis piece in the Los Angeles Times today. The article by Nicholas Riccardi stems from the headline-grabbing story on how Nicholas Corbett, a U.S. Border patrolman, is now charged with murder for shooting Francisco Javier Dominguez-Rivera, who was trying to cross into Arizona from Mexico.

The article gives us a pretty good run-down of how illegal border crossing from Mexico into Arizona has become increasingly dangerous for both the side trying to keep the illegal immigrants out, and those trying to come in. Here's an excerpt:

Assaults on agents are up 10% in southeastern Arizona over last year, and though the number is holding steady nationwide, the Border Patrol says attacks have become more violent. Officers say immigrants are more likely to run and throw rocks or, as happened near Yuma, Ariz., last month, Molotov cocktails.

The Border Patrol has seized nearly twice as much cocaine this year as last. The crossing is riskier for illegal immigrants too. Deaths among crossers are up 21% over last year. Bandits watch border-crossing routes, robbing immigrants and sometimes kidnapping entire groups. (...)