A mother and two children have drowned trying to cross the Rio Grande into Texas. The border tragedy has pitted federal and state officials against each other once again.
The Biden administration claims Texas prevented border agents from trying to rescue the migrants. However, Texas said that description of events is “wholly inaccurate,” and that the migrants were already dead when Border Patrol contacted them.
This story is being covered across the political spectrum.
Left-leaning news outlets are emphasizing federal officials’ statements regarding the incident, while right-leaning news outlets are highlighting Texas’ response to the migrant deaths.
Regardless of coverage, however, the facts of the story seem to depend on the source as federal and state officials are reciting different versions of events.
“In responding to a distress call from the Mexican government, Border Patrol agents were physically barred by Texas officials from entering the park,” the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement. “The Texas governor’s policies are cruel, dangerous, and inhumane, and Texas’s blatant disregard for federal authority over immigration poses grave risks.”
“The Texas Military Department and the Texas National Guard did not grant access to Border Patrol agents to save the migrants,” Texas Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar said.
According to the Texas Military’s investigation, when Border Patrol contacted the state’s National Guard to request access to Shelby Park, Mexico officials were already recovering three bodies on its side of the river. Border Patrol requested access to the park to help with two other migrants who crossed with the group. Those two people were apprehended by Texas guardsmen. Texas officials patrolled the river to ensure no other migrants were in distress.
“Turns out @RepCuellar (& some media) were so eager to point finger at Texas for drowning of migrants they forgot to the get the facts,” Gov. Abbott said on X. “The fact is the deaths are because of Biden’s open border magnet.”
This particular portion of the border at Shelby Park is an area that Texas officials took control of last week. The state said federal officials weren’t doing enough at this sector to deter illegal crossings, and they are not letting Border Patrol agents enter the park.
However, the state’s authority to take over the responsibility from the federal government is being challenged in court by the Justice Department. This is just the latest in a slew of legal battles as state and federal officials spar over the border crisis.
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