HOUSTON (Texas), Jan 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Two children and a woman died trying to cross the Rio Grande on Friday near a Texas park where state officials have blocked access to federal Border Patrol officers.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security confirmed the deaths Saturday night to USA TODAY.
Border Patrol officers learned around 9 p.m. Friday that six migrants were in distress as they tried to cross the river separating the U.S. and Mexico near Eagle Pass’ Shelby Park, according to a Texas Congressman who first announced the deaths.
Since early in the week, Texas officials, under orders from Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, have prevented federal officials from entering a stretch of border that includes the 47-acre city park.
“In responding to a distress call from the Mexican government, Border Patrol agents were physically barred by Texas officials from entering the area,” the DHS statement said. “The Texas governor’s policies are cruel, dangerous, and inhumane, and Texas’s blatant disregard for federal authority over immigration poses grave risks. The State of Texas should stop interfering with the U.S. Border Patrol’s enforcement of U.S. law.”
The Texas Military Department confirmed via email that Border Patrol contacted state soldiers about migrants in distress at 9 p.m., but the state agency denied seeing any migrants in the river, turning back migrants attempting to cross unlawfully, or finding bodies on the U.S. side at Shelby Park.
A unit near the park’s boat ramp searched the river with lights and night vision goggles but found no migrants, the state agency said in a statement. At 9:45 p.m., the statement said, state soldiers saw Mexican authorities responding to an incident on the Mexican side of the river. Border Patrol told the state soldiers they didn’t need additional assistance, according to the statement. The Texas Military Department then stopped the search.
“TMD maintains water rescue equipment and actively works with local EMS to aid migrants needing medical care,” the statement said.
In court filings, the state acknowledged it has seized control of the park for “law-enforcement and disaster relief purposes.”
Texas officials said they hadn’t been aware of the federal government’s complaints about access and are “working promptly to address them.”
In a statement posted to the social media site X, U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, a moderate Democrat whose Texas district is southeast of the park, blamed Gov. Abbott’s policies for the deaths.
“This is a tragedy, and the State bears responsibility,” Cuellar said. — NNN-AGENCIES
