Federal officials say that Border Patrol agents in Texas were physically prevented from attempting to rescue migrants who drowned.
increased patrols.
A female and two minors perished in the Rio Grande on Friday attempting to cross into the United States near a portion of the southern border with heightened surveillance by Texas National Guard troops.prevented
The presence of federal Border Patrol agents has hindered the processing and rescue of migrants.
According to federal officials and a Texas congressman, National Guard soldiers sent by Republican Governor Greg Abbott of Texas prevented Border Patrol agents from trying to save the migrants. However, Texas officials denied these allegations on Sunday.
At the beginning of the week, members of the Texas National Guard took over a park in Eagle Pass that was being used by Border Patrol to detain migrants. This action is the most recent development in an increasingly heated dispute between Governor Abbott and President Biden regarding border policies in the United States.
On Saturday, Cuellar stated that federal agents were unable to reach out to Texas state officials via phone regarding an emergency situation. When Border Patrol agents went to the park and requested permission to provide aid to the migrants, they were refused entry, according to Cuellar.
According to Cuellar, soldiers from the Texas Military Department declared that they will not allow migrants to enter, even in an emergency situation. They also mentioned that they will send a soldier to examine the issue. On Saturday, Mexican officials discovered three bodies.
He stated that the State is accountable for this tragic event.
A spokesperson from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) who preferred to remain anonymous due to not being allowed to speak to the media, confirmed that Cuellar’s account of the situation was correct. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a statement on Saturday stating that Texas authorities impeded Border Patrol’s efforts to save the migrants on Friday.
“Sadly, last night a female and two minors lost their lives due to drowning in the Shelby Park region of Eagle Pass. This area was recently taken over by the State of Texas. According to the department, Border Patrol agents were unable to access the area despite receiving a plea for help from the Mexican government, as they were physically blocked by Texas authorities.”
According to statements from White House representative Angelo Fernández Hernández, members of the Texas military prevented U.S. Border Patrol from offering necessary aid to migrants.
“As we gather information about the events surrounding these devastating deaths, it is evident that Governor Abbott’s actions for political gain are heartless, inhuman, and potentially harmful,” stated Fernández Hernández.
On Saturday, the Texas Military Department, responsible for overseeing the state’s National Guard, released a statement confirming that they were notified by Border Patrol on Friday evening about a potential crisis involving migrants. The statement reported that one of their units conducted a thorough search of the river using lights and night vision goggles, but did not find any distressed migrants or bodies.
The National Guard members from the state concluded their search when they noticed that Mexican officials were addressing an incident on the other side of the river bank, as reported by the Texas Military Department. The department stated that Border Patrol confirmed that assistance was not needed by Mexican authorities.
The department stated on Saturday evening that they have and use water rescue equipment and collaborate with local EMS to assist migrants who require medical attention.
The Texas Military Department released a second statement on Sunday, refuting the claims made by federal officials. They stated that the accusation of preventing Border Patrol from rescuing drowning migrants is completely false.
According to the Texas Military Department, when Border Patrol asked for permission to enter Shelby Park on Friday, federal agents told National Guard soldiers that Mexican officials were retrieving the corpses of “two migrants who had drowned.”
The Texas Military Department stated that the Border Patrol requested permission to enter the park in order to find two more migrants who were believed to have been with the deceased individual. However, they had already crossed to the boat ramp. One of the migrants was handed over to state troopers, while the other was taken to emergency medical services for treatment of hypothermia.
Late Wednesday, the Texas National Guard assumed command of Shelby Park in an effort to prevent unauthorized entry by migrants. This bold action caused concern among local officials in Eagle Pass, who were not consulted, and the federal government, which promptly notified the Texas Supreme Court of the situation on Thursday.
According to federal authorities, Texas has employed armed troops, vehicles, and barriers to physically obstruct Border Patrol agents and a federal National Guard member from reaching approximately 2.5 miles of the border between the United States and Mexico. In a court filing, federal officials expressed concern that these actions by Texas could hinder Border Patrol’s ability to assist migrants in need.
DHS urged Texas officials to back down on Saturday.
“The Department stated that Texas’s refusal to acknowledge federal power in regards to immigration carries serious dangers. The Texas government should cease their interference with the enforcement of U.S. law by the U.S. Border Patrol.”
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Source: cbsnews.com