A lady and two children perished in the Rio Grande as they tried to the enter the U.S. from Mexico on Friday night after Texas military troops barred federal border inspectors from going to their rescue, according to U.S. Representative Henry Cuellar.
The deaths coincide with escalating tensions over immigration between Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Democratic U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration.
According to Cuellar’s statement, the migrants were trying to cross the river close to Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, which is not a legitimate port of entry and where the Texas National Guard installed new concertina wire and fencing last week.
The federal government of the United States accused Texas on Friday in a Supreme Court court filing of building the new obstacles to prevent federal Border Patrol agents from accessing a boat ramp that they use to enter the Rio Grande.
Texas responded on Saturday, stating that, up until Friday’s filing, it was “unaware of federal law enforcement’s current objections, and is working promptly to address them.” It further stated that, in recent months, federal Border Patrol agents had mostly stopped utilizing the boat ramp.
According to Democrat Cuellar’s statement, Federal Border Patrol authorities were notified at approximately 9 p.m. about a group of migrants who were in trouble while attempting to cross the Rio Grande.
After attempting to reach Texas officials via phone without success, federal investigators physically went to the Shelby Park gate to have a conversation with representatives from the Texas Military Department and the Texas National Guard.
“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,” according to Cuellar’s statement.
According to Cuellar, Mexican officials found the woman’s and the two children’s dead on Saturday. The public has not been informed of the three individuals’ identities.
Texas has been attempting more and more to establish border restrictions on its own, even though historically these have been the federal government’s legal purview.
