The Biden administration acknowledged in a new Supreme Court filing that the three migrants who drowned last week died long before Border Patrol agents asked Texas authorities to enter the Shelby Park area. Incident.
Both the Department of Homeland Security and the White House targeted Texas after last week's killing of three immigrants, including two children, in the Shelby Park area. Texas has occupied the area, but the government says it is refusing Border Patrol access.
“Tragically, a woman and two children drowned last night in the Shelby Park area of Eagle Pass, which was seized by the state of Texas earlier this week,” the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement Saturday evening. “While responding to a distress call from the Mexican government, Border Patrol agents were physically barred from entering the area by Texas authorities.”
The statement went on to say that Texas Governor Greg Abbott's policies are “cruel, dangerous, and inhumane, and Texas' blatant disregard for federal authority against immigrants poses grave risks.” Ta.
The White House was similarly harsh in its criticism of Saturday night's fatal crash.
“A woman and two children drowned near Eagle Pass on Friday night, and Texas authorities blocked U.S. Border Patrol from providing emergency assistance. As we continue to gather facts, one thing is clear: Governor Abbott's political stunt is cruel, inhumane, and dangerous. U.S. Border Patrol is required to enter the border to enforce the law. There is.”
But the Justice Department said in a court filing as part of an ongoing lawsuit that Mexican authorities told Border Patrol agents at 9 p.m. local time that the migrant had drowned at 8 p.m., but that two more migrants were on the U.S. side. He said he had notified them that he was “in distress.” border. The application reiterates the claim that Border Patrol agents were not allowed to enter the area “even in the event of an emergency.” Two more migrants suffered from hypothermia but were later rescued by Mexican authorities.
But the Justice Department suggested the migrants could have been found if they had access to the area.
“It is impossible to say what would have happened if the Border Patrol had accessed the area, such as through surveillance trucks that previously supported surveillance of the area,” they said. “But at the very least, the Border Patrol should have had the opportunity to fulfill its responsibility and do everything possible to assist their Mexican government counterparts in carrying out their rescue mission. Texas made that impossible.” ”
Texas initially denied the claim, saying it was “inaccurate” to request access to rescue migrants in distress.
“It is argued that [Texas Military Dept] The claim that Border Patrol failed to save the lives of drowning migrants is completely inaccurate. “At the time Border Patrol requested access, a drowning had occurred and Mexican authorities were in recovery of the body, and Border Patrol communicated these facts to TMD personnel on scene,” the Texas Department of Military Affairs said in a statement. Stated.
Mr Abbott accused MPs and some media outlets of being “eager to point the finger”. [the] pointing to texas [the] Immigrants drowned and forgot to know the facts. ”
“When BP requested access; [the] “Drownings had already occurred in the river and were found in the MX,” he wrote. “The fact is that the deaths are due to the impact of Biden's open borders magnet.”
The dispute over Shelby Park exacerbates existing tensions between the federal government and the state. The federal government sent a cease-and-desist order to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxson this week, threatening legal action if he doesn't rescind it.
This includes the construction of razor wire by the state of Texas and its destruction by the federal government, the installation of buoys in the Rio Grande, and ongoing developments related to the new anti-illegal immigration law signed by Abbott that allows state and local law enforcement. In addition to litigation, to arrest illegal immigrants.
