During the presidency of Barack Obama, more than 2,500 people died while trying to illegally cross the U.S./Mexico border. Beto O'Rourke and others have blamed such fatalities on Donald Trump, but border crossing deaths are not a new phenomenon, and there are no systematic trends in them over time. When foreigners are considering whether to illegally cross the U.S. border, some react to tighter border security by taking more dangerous paths, while others choose not to make the trip at all. The net effects of these choices on deaths is unknown. However, evidence from multiple nations indicates that formidable and comprehensive border barriers are strong deterrents to make these unlawful and often perilous journeys.