There has been much debate recently regarding Donald Trump's comments on crime and immigrants, but often few actual statistics to either support or refute his claims. This report includes specific statistics (from formal government documents identified in the Reference section) about the criminal activity of illegal immigrants. However, there are other serious issues impacting our U.S. border and the entire nation, including cartel violence, drug trafficking, arms trafficking, human smuggling, human trafficking, and corruption. The references identified in this report are must-reads to understand the facts regarding the threats to our U.S. homeland security.

1. SEX, GUNS, HOSTAGES, HEADLESS
BODIES, DRUGS, & BRIBES
An analysis of six critical U.S. border issues in social media and major news sources
January – June 2015
Tonya M. Green, Ph.D.
July 2015
© 2015 by Tonya M Green

2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Based on the analytics performed for 1H2015, the following insights are observed:
• Criminal activity by illegal immigrants is a documented problem.
Texas statistics are alarming: >96K illegal aliens were arrested for
criminal offenses (e.g., homicide, robbery, burglary, kidnapping,
assault) between June 2011 – December 2014. 2 During their
criminal careers, these criminal illegal aliens were charged with
>247K criminal offenses.2 In 2014, U.S. Customs and Border
Protection (CBP) officers made >8,000 arrests at U.S. ports of entry
of individuals wanted for serious crimes.1 In 2014, ~56% (177,960)
of all ICE removals were individuals with criminal convictions. 3
Deported criminal aliens often return to commit additional crimes. 2
• The illegal entry of special interest aliens associated with terrorist
organizations poses a significant potential threat to U.S. homeland
security.2 Between November 2013 – July 2014, 143 watch-listed
individuals were reported by the Terrorist Screening Center in
southwest border states. 2 ISIS has claimed that it could smuggle a
nuke into the U.S. from Mexico.
• Mexican cartels perform acts of violence in Texas and elsewhere in
the nation. They enlist transnational and statewide gangs to support
their operations. 2 These gangs are responsible for a
disproportionate amount of crime, threatening the safety and
security of U.S. communities. 2 Cartels supply drugs to U.S. cities and
rely on U.S.-based gangs to further distribute drugs. 2 Public safety
issues (e.g., recruitment of children for smuggling, home invasions,
extortions, kidnappings, shootings of law enforcement officers) are
typical U.S. border problems. 2
• The trafficking of drugs, arms, and humans is a serious problem.
• In 2014, CBP as a whole seized over 3.5 million pounds of illegal
drugs at and near the U.S. borders 1
• In Brooks county in Texas, the corridor of death, >400 bodies
have been discovered over the past 6 years in the desolate rural
jurisdiction that illegals travel on a detour around the interior
border checkpoint. 4 Human smuggling and human trafficking,
where individuals by means of force, fraud, and coercion
engage in prostitution, are often intertwined. 2
• In 2014, DPS identified 147 human stash houses and 97 drug
stash houses along the Texas border, often plagued by home
invasions and impersonations of law enforcement officers.2
• Smuggling is achieved by various methods (e.g., drones,
tunnels, jet skis, powerful magnets under cars, fuel tanks,
cloned commercial utility vehicles) with sophisticated tactics
(e.g., creating distractions, using decoys, using spikes to disable
law enforcement, conducting surveillance of officers) 2
• Combatting the cartels is often a challenge due to corruption. There
are major transnational criminal organizations operating on both
sides of the border with budgets in the tens of millions of dollars for
bribes and corruption of government officials.1 The Mexican cartels
have been effective in corrupting U.S. law enforcement officials at all
levels, which undermines the public trust in law enforcement while
facilitating organized crime.2
2US Border Issues Mention Report | July 2015 | Reporting Period: 1H2015

3. US Border Issues Mention Report | July 2015 | Reporting Period: 1H2015 3
ANALYSIS OF MENTIONS OF U.S. BORDER ISSUES
Drug trafficking is a top U.S.-Mexico border issue mentioned in social media and major news sources, followed by
corruption. Cartel violence is also a top issue. Arms trafficking is one of the top four issues analyzed. Although crimes
committed by illegals has been a top topic in the media in July, it is ranked fifth in number of mentions for 1H2015.
Human trafficking is an issue that should not be ignored.
8133
8239
15589
22487
24410
25863
0 5000 10000 15000 20000 25000 30000
Number of Mentions
1H2015
Drug trafficking Corruption Cartel violence
Arms trafficking Criminal aliens Human trafficking

4. ANALYSIS OF TRENDS
4US Border Issues Mention Report | July 2015 | Reporting Period: 1H2015
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
2000
2015-01-01
2015-01-05
2015-01-09
2015-01-13
2015-01-17
2015-01-21
2015-01-25
2015-01-29
2015-02-02
2015-02-06
2015-02-10
2015-02-14
2015-02-18
2015-02-22
2015-02-26
2015-03-02
2015-03-06
2015-03-10
2015-03-14
2015-03-18
2015-03-22
2015-03-26
2015-03-30
2015-04-03
2015-04-07
2015-04-11
2015-04-15
2015-04-19
2015-04-23
2015-04-27
2015-05-01
2015-05-05
2015-05-09
2015-05-13
2015-05-17
2015-05-21
2015-05-25
2015-05-29
2015-06-02
2015-06-06
2015-06-10
2015-06-14
2015-06-18
2015-06-22
2015-06-26
2015-06-30
Corruption Criminal Aliens Arms Trafficking Drug Trafficking Cartel Violence Human Trafficking
Jan 22 – Drone smuggling
drugs crashes south of US
border
Feb 28 – Cross-border tunnel
found between Mexico and US;
Record breaking marijuana bust in
mattress truck (>15 tons)
Feb 25 – Pope’s remark on
avoiding Mexicanization
of Argentina
Jun 3 – ISIS claims it can
smuggle a nuke into US
from Mexico
Apr 10 – Texas judge
charged with
smuggling guns across
Mexico border May 7 – Mexico
rescues >100
immigrant hostages
Apr 16-20 – Mexican cartels
recruiting US border agents
June 25+ - Discussion
of Trump’s comments
on criminal aliens
Jan 7 – Son of
former Gulf
cartel leader
busted in TX Mar 17 – Headless
body found in Texas
Feb 4 – 9 killed in
cartel clashes in MX
along border; US
issues travel warning
During 1H2015, many events on U.S. border issues are driving mentions, including drug trafficking (e.g., drones, tunnels); corruption
(e.g., bribing judges, cartel recruiting of U.S. border agents); cartel violence (e.g., clashes, headless bodies); and arms trafficking
(e.g., smuggling guns, routes).

5. US Border Issues Mention Report | July 2015 | Reporting Period: 1H2015 5
REFERENCES
1. Homeland Security Advisory Council Interim Report of the CBP Integrity Advisory Panel (June 29, 2015)
Link: http://soboco.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/HSAC-CBP-IAP-Interim-Report_FINAL_062915.pdf
2. Border Surge Report, a Department of Public Safety report prepared for Texas Governor Greg Abbott and uploaded by the Houston Chronicle
(February 24, 2015)
Link: http://www.scribd.com/doc/256933420/Border-Surge-Report
3. FY 2014 ICE Immigration Removals (U.S. Immigration & Customers Enforcement)
Link: http://www.ice.gov/removal-statistics
4. “The Corridor of Death”: Along America’s Second Border (May 28, 2015; Time Magazine)
Link: http://time.com/3898564/immigration-border-mexico/
ADDITIONAL REPORTS
1. Crimes and Illegal Immigrants (July 2015)
Link: http://www.slideshare.net/tmgreen_tx/crimes-and-illegal-immigrants-analysis-of-mentions-1-h2015
APPENDIX

6. ANALYTICS PLATFORM
Analytics were performed using Sysomos Media Analysis Platform (MAP), which collects data for mining and analysis from social media (e.g.,
blogs, Twitter, social networks, message boards and online forums) and major news sources
APPENDIX
US Border Issues Mention Report | July 2015 | Reporting Period: 1H2015 6
ANALYTICS TIMEFRAME
2015 January - June
Tonya M Green, PhD
Twitter: @just_tonya