Texas Denies Blocking Border Patrol in Drowning Incident Amid Federal-State Tensions

The Border Center for Journalists and Bloggers (BCJB) summarizes the main news on the border for January 16, 2024.

Texas Military Refutes Claims of Hindering Border Patrol in Migrant Drowning Tragedy

Border Center News.- As the ongoing conflict between state and federal authorities over border control intensified, the Texas Military Department countered allegations that its soldiers prevented Border Patrol officers from saving three migrants who drowned in the Rio Grande. The department's statement came after claims surfaced that state soldiers barred federal agents during the incident, for which U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar blamed the state.

Elements of the Mexican National Guard helped a woman who survived the tragic incident where a woman and two minors drowned while crossing the river in Piedras Negras, on the border with Eagle Pass. Photo: Courtesy of The Voice of Piedras Negras.

The Mexican National Guard rescued the bodies of three migrants, a woman, and two minors, who drowned in the vicinity of Bridge 2, which connects Piedras Negras with Eagle Pass. Photo: Courtesy of The Voice of Piedras Negras.

According to the department, the drownings had already occurred by the time Border Patrol requested access to a seized 2.5-mile border stretch near Eagle Pass.  The following section is a timeline of how the tragic events unfolded.

Wednesday, January 10

Night.

Texas DPS troopers and National Guard soldiers took complete control of Shelby Park, erected concertina wire and fencing around, blocking Border Patrol units from entering the park and using riverine patrol vehicles in the area.

Friday, January 12

Morning

The Department of Justice asked the Supreme Court to overrule a 5th Court of Appeals ruling preventing Border Patrol officers from cutting off razor wire serpentines along the Rio Grande. The Department of Homeland Security has demanded Texas to grant Border Patrol access, deeming the state's actions unconstitutional. 

Night.

8:00 pm. According to Mexican authorities, three migrants died by drowning attempting to cross the Rio Grande in an area close to Shelby Park, below International Bridge 2 between Piedras Negras and Eagle Pass.

9:00 pm. Mexican authorities informed Border Patrol that two migrants were in distress and couldn't help three others who droned in the river.

Border Patrol contacted the Texas Military Department (TMD) about a migrant distress situation on the river bank and requested permission to enter the area, according to Border Report. TMD didn’t grant access to Border Patrol officers to enter the area. Instead, Texas National Guard soldiers launched a search and rescue operation with lights and night vision goggles. Border Report informed that soldiers didn’t find any migrants and got back to their base in Shelby Park.

9:45 pm. Mexican informed U.S. counterparts that National Guard soldiers rescued two migrants alive, one woman and one child. They found and recovered the bodies of another woman and two children who drowned in the river.

The Texas Military Department informed Border Report that state soldiers apprehended two additional migrants, apparently associated with the deceased, with one experiencing hypothermic conditions.

Saturday, January 13

Congressman Henry Cuellar issued a statement condemning the Texas government for blocking access to Border Patrol officers from conducting a search and rescue operation.

Governor Greg Abbott, a critic of the Biden administration’s immigration policies, defended the state's actions, linking the drownings to what he terms "Biden’s Open Border magnet." The administration, on its part, has highlighted the need for more funding to hire Border Patrol officers and process asylum claims.

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