Increase in Immigrant Deaths

This article discusses the number of immigrants who die every year in an attempt to cross the border. "The leading cause of death was exposure to the heat. Other causes included drownings in rivers and drainage canals, homicides by bandits who target immigrants during the long walk across the border, and rollovers of smuggling vehicles." They talked to border control about these issues and they said that they have stations set up (in the middle of the desert? where?) so that immigrants in distress can have a search and rescue team sent out for them. The death toll last year (2008) was 378 (reported). This year they say the number will rise significantly.
When I first read this article, it almost felt like they were just reporting cold facts. "Immigrants" could have easily been substituted with "raccoons hit on the road" in terms of how many die and the way they talk about it. It almost feels as though we take greater precaution to make sure wild life doesn't die in the road than we do to make sure that our fellow humans stay alive. I understand that immigration is a BIG issue, and that no small "band aid" policy will fix it and make it go away fast, but seriously?... When immigrant, fellow human, deaths are being reported in this manner, there is a bigger issue at hand that needs to be dealt with, and in a more serious manner than we seem to be taking now.