The evolution of human smuggling from Mexico to the U.S. began in the early 20th century when restrictive U.S. immigration laws first created a demand for illicit crossings. Initially, small-scale "coyotes" helped migrants cross the largely unregulated border to meet labor demands in U.S. industries. However, as U.S. border enforcement intensified with measures such as the Immigration Act of 1924 and the formation of the Border Patrol, smuggling operations became more organized and sophisticated. By the mid-20th century, smugglers employed tactics like safe houses, hidden vehicle compartments, and more remote crossing routes to evade detection, especially after large-scale crackdowns like Operation Wetback in 1954.


In recent decades, human smuggling has shifted from small, independent operators to being controlled by powerful Mexican cartels. This shift was driven by increased border security measures, such as Operation Gatekeeper in the 1990s, which pushed smuggling routes into more hazardous areas. Cartels saw human smuggling as an additional revenue stream and used their established networks, resources, and violent enforcement tactics to dominate the trade. Today, human smuggling is a highly profitable and technologically advanced operation run by cartels, who employ high-tech surveillance, encrypted communications, and bribery, making the smuggling of migrants an increasingly dangerous and costly endeavor.

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