Three migrants drown at US border as Texas blocked their rescue

[Judi Lynn]

Texas Military Department barred US border agents from trying to rescue the migrants in the Rio Grande, US officials say.

14 Jan 2024

A woman and two children have drowned in the Rio Grande river as they tried to enter the United States from Mexico after Texas military officers prevented federal border officials from aiding them, according to US border officials and a member of Congress.

The deaths on Friday night come as a dispute over immigration intensifies between Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, and the administration of US President Joe Biden, a Democrat, with a record number of migrants and refugees having illegally crossed the border since Biden took office in 2021.

Under Abbott, Texas has increasingly sought to implement its own border controls, which have historically been the legal domain of the federal government.

Officials said the three were attempting to cross the river near Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, which is not a legal port of entry and is where the Texas National Guard this week added concertina wire and fencing.

In a filing in the US Supreme Court on Friday, the federal government accused Texas of erecting new barriers to block federal Border Patrol agents from reaching a boat ramp they use to access the Rio Grande.

More:
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/1/14/three-migrants-drown-at-us-border-as-texas-blocked-their-rescue

[Bernardo de La Paz]

1. Charge any "Guard" troops who blocked the rescue with negligent manslaughter or equivalent. . . nt

[Judi Lynn]

2. US says Texas blocked border agents from entering park to try to save 3 migrants who drowned

The U.S. Homeland Security Department says Texas denied federal agents access to a stretch of border when they were trying to rescue three migrants who drowned

By VALERIE GONZALEZ - Associated Press
Jan 14, 2024 Updated 42 min ago

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (AP) — The U.S. Homeland Security Department said Saturday that Texas denied federal agents access to a stretch of border when they were trying to rescue three migrants who drowned.

The federal government's account came hours after U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar said the Texas Military Department and Texas National Guard “did not grant access to Border Patrol agents to save the migrants” Friday night. Mexican authorities recovered the bodies of a woman and two children Saturday across the border from Eagle Pass, Texas.

“This is a tragedy, and the State bears responsibility,” said Cuellar, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee's subcommittee for homeland security, in a statement.

The drownings come amid escalating tensions between Texas and the U.S. government over immigration enforcement. On Friday, the Justice Department told the U.S. Supreme Court that Texas had taken control of an area in Eagle Pass known as Shelby Park and were not letting Border Patrol agents enter.

More:
https://scnow.com/ap/national/us-says-texas-barred-border-agents-from-entering-park-to-try-to-save-3-migrants/article_55a188d8-6aff-526d-9051-c25426620e86.html

[Judi Lynn]

3. US says Texas blocked border agents from entering park to try to save 3 migrants who drowned

The U.S. Homeland Security Department says Texas denied federal agents access to a stretch of border when they were trying to rescue three migrants who drowned

By VALERIE GONZALEZ - Associated Press
Jan 14, 2024 Updated 42 min ago

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (AP) — The U.S. Homeland Security Department said Saturday that Texas denied federal agents access to a stretch of border when they were trying to rescue three migrants who drowned.

The federal government's account came hours after U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar said the Texas Military Department and Texas National Guard “did not grant access to Border Patrol agents to save the migrants” Friday night. Mexican authorities recovered the bodies of a woman and two children Saturday across the border from Eagle Pass, Texas.

“This is a tragedy, and the State bears responsibility,” said Cuellar, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee's subcommittee for homeland security, in a statement.

The drownings come amid escalating tensions between Texas and the U.S. government over immigration enforcement. On Friday, the Justice Department told the U.S. Supreme Court that Texas had taken control of an area in Eagle Pass known as Shelby Park and were not letting Border Patrol agents enter.

More:
https://scnow.com/ap/national/us-says-texas-barred-border-agents-from-entering-park-to-try-to-save-3-migrants/article_55a188d8-6aff-526d-9051-c25426620e86.html

[brer cat]

4. Abbott has much blood on his hands.