Central American migrants met with hurdles in Mexico

The Associated Press

ARRIAGA, Mexico - For thousands of illegal immigrants from Central America, the long journey to the U.S. starts here, on the groaning back of a freight train they call The Beast.

These days many don't get far.

Central Americans without documents face increased security within Mexico, including checks on the train for stowaways. It's also harder for them to head north once they cross into Mexico because of hurricane damage to the train tracks.

The result: The number of non-Mexican illegal immigrants stopped by the U.S. Border Patrol has dropped almost 60 percent from 2005.

About 68,000 non-Mexican immigrants - mostly Central Americans - were detained last year, compared to 165,000 in 2005.

Non-Mexicans make up about 10 percent of all immigrants caught by Border Patrol agents.

Mexico itself is also seeing fewer illegal immigrants; 120,000 were arrested last year, a 50 percent drop from 2005.