Three migrants, a woman and two children, drowned Saturday in the Rio Grande in Eagle Pass, Texas – very recently the epicenter of the migrant crisis – just days after state authorities blocked the US Border Patrol from accessing miles of the US-Mexico border, according to a post on X by Rep. Henry Cuellar.

“This is a tragedy, and the State bears responsibility,” Cuellar, a Democrat from Texas, said on X, formally known as Twitter.

The congressman said Border Patrol learned a group of six migrants were in distress in the Rio Grande at about 9 p.m. on Friday.

Border Patrol called the Texas Military Department, the Texas National Guard and Texas Department of Public Safety but “were unsuccessful” at relaying the information by phone, Cuellar said in the social media post. Federal agents then went to the gate at Shelby Park, set up by Texas authorities, to provide the information, Cuellar said.

“However, Texas Military Department soldiers stated they would not grant access to the migrants – even in the event of an emergency – and that they would send a soldier to investigate the situation,” Cuellar said on X.

  • yeather@lemmy.ca
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    1 year ago

    So at what point and why should we start helping them to break the law. Border patrol should not help you in any case where you’re illegally entering the country willingly. Which there is an argument for the kids they weren’t willingly entering the country, but either way why should it be on US border patrol to help people in Mexico trying to illegally enter.

    • gedaliyah@lemmy.worldM
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      1 year ago

      Sounds a lot like “it’s better for people to die rather than to go from one place to another without the correct documents.”

      Like all law enforcement agencies, CBP is interested in maintaining order. It is better for them to apprehend and process those crossing the border without documentation than to deliberately make the crossing more dangerous.

      Not everyone who enters the USA without a visa is breaking the law. Not all types of illegal immigration are the same. The only way to make that determination is by apprehending undocumented migrants.

      • yeather@lemmy.ca
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        1 year ago

        https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/seeking-protection-how-us-asylum-process-works

        To be an asylum seeker in the United States you must apply for asylum at one of 328 official ports of entry or from within the country already. Unless rainfall has been really bad there is no legal port of entry underwater. This person is therefore an illegal immigrant breaking the law, not an asylum seeker following the laws of the country they wish to integrate into.

        https://www.cfr.org/in-brief/can-safe-third-country-agreements-resolve-asylum-crisis

        In addition, many are denied for breaking another asylum seeking rule. You must seek asylum in the closest safe country. In most cases for immigrants like the woman and childrent that is Brazil, Guatemala, Panama, Mexico, and El Salvador. Any “asylum seeker” going through safe countries to reach the US is breaking the law and is not a real asylum seeker. The US border patrol has no obligation to save people illegally entering the country through unsafe routes, endangering Americans.

      • yeather@lemmy.ca
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        1 year ago

        Not American soil, not America’s problem. Let Mexican border patrol deal with it.

        • shalafi@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          That does bring up the question of why Mexico isn’t giving aid.

          I love Mexicans, and I love immigrants, even the illegal ones. But shouldn’t Mexico play some role here? Why is the border all America’s legal responsibility?

          (And if anyone wants to argue that those Mexicans are running here because our drug habits are fueling Mexican cartels, I’m all with ya. Yes, even you weed smokers contribute.)

    • nomous@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Border patrol should not help you in any case where you’re illegally entering the country willingly.

      I disagree with this premise.

      • yeather@lemmy.ca
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        1 year ago

        https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/seeking-protection-how-us-asylum-process-works

        To be an asylum seeker in the United States you must apply for asylum at one of 328 official ports of entry or from within the country already. Unless rainfall has been really bad there is no legal port of entry underwater. This person is therefore an illegal immigrant breaking the law, not an asylum seeker following the laws of the country they wish to integrate into.

        https://www.cfr.org/in-brief/can-safe-third-country-agreements-resolve-asylum-crisis

        In addition, many are denied for breaking another asylum seeking rule. You must seek asylum in the closest safe country. In most cases for immigrants like the woman and childrent that is Brazil, Guatemala, Panama, Mexico, and El Salvador. Any “asylum seeker” going through safe countries to reach the US is breaking the law and is not a real asylum seeker. The US border patrol has no obligation to save people illegally entering the country through unsafe routes, endangering Americans.

        Womp womp, unless they’re cuban or similar island nation they have a closer safe country. They aren’t asylum seekers they illegal immigrants attempting to thwart the laws of the very country they want into. Illegal immigrants have neither my sympathy nor my support, border patrol should make no attempt to help them break into the country, especially if they are across the border in Mexico.

        • Bernie_Sandals@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          “Or from within the country already”

          This involves coming in the country illegally and then having that be retroactively legal when they declare Asylum status, that is how it works in our and every other country that observes international law.

          The “safe” country exemption is preposterous and arguably illegal under international law too, there’s a reason even people from so called “safe” countries like Mexico flee to the US.

          • yeather@lemmy.ca
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            1 year ago

            You can enter the country legally and then apply for asylum status. That right is available at any legal border crossing into the United States. Also, reread the original news article and you’ll see the woman was not in the US yet but was actively attempting to break the law. US border patrol has no obligation to help someone in Mexico break into the US.

            On your second point, are these international laws the United States has signed and agreed to? Similar to how the ICJ works, the US has no legal obligation to follow “international law” that it didnt agree to.