Chinese immigrants have made their mark on the history of the Southwest. With the construction of the railroad in the 1800s, millions of Chinese flocked to the United States, making the cross to ports like San Diego and San Francisco.

The days of the railroad are gone, but the immigrants are still there and looking for a way into the United States. Oddly enough, some are crossing alongside Mexican immigrants via Mexico.

While this is nothing new, there has been an increase in the apprehension of Chinese nationals immigrating illegally.

Border Patrol statistics show that this year, up until the end of August, 261 people of Chinese descent were apprehended.

In 2008 there were 30 Chinese apprehensions and in 2007 there were 37.

According to Border Patrol spokesman David Jimarez, the Border Patrol has attributed part of the increase in Chinese apprehension to the increase in pot seizuers. In fiscal year 2009, $961 million of marijuana was seized.

“All of that hurts the smugglers,” Jimarez said. “So they are constantly looking for new ways to make money. They are turning to new methods: Chinese.”

Border Patrol statistics have shown that Chinese immigrants are willing to pay up to $40,000 to cross into the U.S., whereas an average illegal immigrant from Mexico, may pay anywhere from $1,500 to $1,800. Those traveling from South America may pay $3,000 to $6,000.

“Some of these Central and South American countries have opened up tourism,” said Border Patrol spokesman Jorge Gomez. “It’s easier to get a visa and go to another country where the visa requirements have been lowered.

“How easy do you think it is to smuggle yourself into a country that’s not the United States, that doesn’t have the Border Patrol that we do?” he added. “It’s pretty easy.”

Smugglers have caught onto this and it’s no longer a small-scale operation.

Smuggling Chinese immigrants has turned to organized crime and these organizations recruit Chinese nationals for smuggling.

“That’s the reason why you are seeing more Chinese nationals because the smugglers have caught on to the money,” Gomez said. “And it’s easy money.”

“A lot are being caught in the Sasabe area outside of Tucson,” Tombstone Marshal Larry Talvy said. “But here I am unaware of any Chinese that have been caught in this area.”

Talvy has, however, encountered Chinese while on border security during Operation Jump Start.

The Cochise County Sheriff’s Department has also had a run-in with Chinese immigrants while participating in Operation Stonegarden, where the sheriff’s department aided the Border Patrol in curbing illegal border activity.

“There have been instances where we have assisted Border Patrol and they’ve apprehend people other than Mexicans, either Middle Eastern, Guatemalan, Venezuelan, and Chinese,” said Carol Capas, Cochise County Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman.

But the Chinese don’t view themselves as being in the country illegaly.

"Those chinese that are getting smuggled," Gomez said, "don't think they're poor people. They're not."

Added Jimarez: “We are apprehending more because of the technology we have in place. It’s allowing us to detect a lot more of these people that are crossing therefore guaranteeing a greater certainty of arrests.”