Texas officials called allegations that they had allowed three migrants to drown by denying border agents access to a river park “totally inaccurate.”
The Texas military insisted that they had searched the Rio Grande and that the deaths had already occurred when federal agents arrived.
“At the time Border Patrol requested access, the drownings had occurred, Mexican authorities were recovering the bodies, and Border Patrol expressed these facts to TMD personnel at the scene,” the Texas Military Department said in a statement on Sunday.
Controversy erupted after a woman and two children drowned Friday night while attempting to cross the Rio Grande near Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, Texas, which Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the TMD to seize and fortify against crossings. migrants last week.
Barbed wire has been placed throughout the park, stretching to the banks of the Rio Grande, which marks the international border.
Federal Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents say they have been denied access without permission.
Texas National Guard troops stationed along the Rio Grande in Shelby Park, which they have maintained since last week Getty Images
TMD says CBP informed them of a “migrant distress situation” around 9 p.m. on January 12 and began searching the river. About 45 minutes later, they say, Mexican authorities were seen responding to an incident on their riverbank.
“At no time did TMD security personnel along the river observe any migrants in distress, nor did TMD return any illegal immigrants from the United States during this period,” the department clarified.
After the drownings, Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) issued a press release stating that CBP agents learned of a family in distress near Shelby Park and after failing to contact TMD to alert them by phone were forced to go to the park and request access in person.
Migrants have been swimming across the Rio Grande toward Eagle Pass despite the cold winter in the region ADAM DAVIS/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Cuellar claimed that TMD told CBP agents that they “would not allow access to migrants, even in the event of an emergency,” claiming that they instead sent a lone soldier to check the river.
“Border Patrol personnel were forced out of Shelby Park earlier this week by the Texas National Guard under the order of Governor Abbott,” Cuellar said. “This is a tragedy and the State has responsibility.”
TMD disagreed with Cuellar’s assessment, insisting that CBP was not requesting access to rescue the drowning migrants, but rather to detain two members of their group who had survived the crossing.
“Border Patrol specifically requested access to the park to secure two additional immigrants who were presumed to have traveled with the deceased, although they had crossed to the boat ramp,” TMD said in its statement, noting that its agents picked up those immigrants and They treated for hypothermia.
A man crossed the Rio Grande toward Eagle Pass on Friday, the same day a woman and two children drowned there REUTERS
After recovering the surviving migrants, TMD said it scanned the river with lights and night vision goggles to ensure no one was left in the river.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott accused Cuellar of political grandstanding and being “so eager to point fingers [sic] in Texas due to the drowning of immigrants, they forgot to know the facts,” in a sunday publication in X.
“The fact is that the deaths are due to Biden’s Open Border magnet,” the governor wrote.
The Texas Military Department did not respond to the Post’s request for comment. Customs and Border Protection has not provided its own version of events.
An agency spokesperson told the Texas Tribune: “We remain seriously concerned about actions that prevent the U.S. Border Patrol from carrying out its essential missions of arresting people who enter the United States illegally and providing humanitarian response to the people in need,” the CBP spokesperson said. he said on Saturday.”
On Sunday, the Biden administration demanded the Texas military stop keeping federal agents out of Shelby Park with a cease and desist letter sent by the Department of Homeland Security.
The refusal to allow federal agents into Shelby Park “impeded Border Patrol operations,” the letter said, calling the action unconstitutional because it is in “conflict with the authority and duties of the Border Patrol under federal law.” ” according to the Texas Tribune.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn