EAGLE PASS, TX – A heart-wrenching incident unfolded on Friday night as a woman and two children lost their lives to the treacherous currents of the Rio Grande. Federal officials revealed that U.S. border agents were prevented from intervening due to restrictions put in place by the Texas National Guard, under the directive of Governor Greg Abbott.
The DHS stated that the Mexican government had alerted U.S. Border Patrol agents to the migrants’ precarious situation. However, Texas officials physically prevented them from accessing the area. The victims were part of a group of six migrants who found themselves in dire straits in the river, according to Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas.
On Saturday, Mexican authorities retrieved the bodies of three migrants, though their identities and exact ages remain unknown. Cuellar stated that attempts to reach the Texas Military Department, the Texas National Guard, and the DPS Command Post were unsuccessful.
The Texas Military Department offered a conflicting account, stating that they had received a distress report but found no migrants in need of help in the river. They were later informed of an incident on the Mexican side of the river, which they claimed did not require their intervention.
The Texas Department of Homeland Security deflected inquiries related to the incident to the Texas Military Department, claiming they were not involved. A White House spokesperson condemned Governor Abbott’s actions, characterizing them as “cruel inhumane and dangerous” political maneuvers.
Mayor Rolando Salinas Jr. of Eagle Pass revealed during a news conference that the state had assumed emergency control of Shelby Park, which is situated along the river and is the area where the migrants were in distress. This action is part of an ongoing legal tussle between the DHS and Texas over border access in Eagle Pass.
This week, the DHS appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court to prevent the state from obstructing federal agents from the area. The White House decried the state’s efforts to hinder Border Patrol agents, labeling them as political theatrics.