Bush Gives Border-Security Numbers a Fabulous Spin

Today in Arizona our President, citing a decrease in the number of unauthorized immigrants apprehended at the border, said, "When you apprehended fewer people [crossing the border illegally], that means fewer were trying to come across. And fewer were trying to come across because we’re deterring people from attempting illegal border crossings in the first place." Think Progress has the video.

OK. Fewer apprehensions could mean fewer people illegally entering the country; it could also mean that the same number of people are crossing the border illegally but fewer are being caught. It could even mean that more people are getting in. Logically, you cannot get from point A (the number of people apprehended at the border) to point B (the conclusion that fewer people are attempting to enter the U.S. illegally) without picking up a bunch of additional evidence along the way. I'm not saying that the President is necessarily wrong on border security; I'm just saying that his logic is flawed.

Think Progress also points out that, in November 2005, the President cited an increase in border apprehensions as a sign of success. Kudos to the President and his people for getting the numbers to work for them.