Severe Injuries Resulting From Border Wall Falls Surge as Immigration Enforcement Toughens

Hospitals have reported a significant increase in severe injuries from falls related to the U.S.-Mexico border wall, with cases rising by 58% so far in 2024 compared to 2023. Data from Scripps Mercy Hospital and UC San Diego Medical Center reveals that the total number of severe falls has almost reached 1,000 with more than two months to go before the end of the year.

Together, these two hospitals cover a 30-mile stretch of the border, providing crucial trauma services from the Pacific Ocean to Tecate. In 2023, the two hospitals recorded 629 falls severe enough to require hospitalization. This year, they are averaging two border fall admissions daily, a number that has doubled since 2021, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.

Neither the U.S. Border Patrol nor the hospitals have provided a definitive explanation for the increase. However, recent changes in migration routes as as result of increased enforcement from both American and Mexican authorities have led migrants to cross in areas with more border walls, increasing the risk of injury.

Despite the growing number of cases, hospital leadership stated that the influx has not overwhelmed their treatment capacity. However, there is concern about the potential for future surges.

On a recent morning, the trauma team at Scripps Mercy managed 30 cases, including four related to border falls. Patients typically recover from lower extremity injuries within a few days and are often discharged to family members elsewhere in the U.S. Many migrants must secure funds for travel, as returning to the border and claiming asylum is seldom pursued.

Migrants generally file asylum claims after receiving treatment, according to hospital authorities a process more accessible than filing while still in Mexico, where conditions can be challenging. He emphasized that most migrants are driven by the desire to reach the U.S., often unaware of the dangers involved in crossing the wall.

While those with severe injuries end up in trauma units, less critical cases are treated at the border. Notably, 8% of patients hospitalized for falls since 2019 have required intensive care, although this year only 4% faced such dire circumstances. The average hospital stay has decreased from three days in 2023 to two days in 2024.

The financial burden on hospitals is considerable, with total charges for care reaching $151 million in 2023 and 2024, leaving a significant portion unpaid.

Preliminary figures from U.S. Customs and Border Protection are signaling a continued decrease of unlawful border crossings during September, reaching the lowest monthly figure of President Joe Biden's administration.

Since the implementation of the executive order making it more difficult for migrants to seek asylum and remain in the country in June, encounters along the U.S. southern border have dropped drastically. The figure has dropped by more than 70% compared to the 249,741 encounters in December 2023.