Mexicans intending to cross the border illegally into the US are not significantly deterred by threats of arrest or the severity of possible punishment – the primary method for dealing with illegal immigration in the US – according to a new study of potential migrants.

Concerns about punishment and arrest are typically less influential in the decision to cross the border than other economic and non-economic factors, said a study published Thursday in the August issue of the American Sociological Review.

Those factors that had a greater influence on whether someone would consider crossing the border illegally include: the prevalence of undocumented migrants in a community, perceptions of US legal authority and the perception of job availability in Mexico.