More drowned at southern border than government estimates showed: Report
A new international investigative report found that hundreds more people have drowned trying to cross into the U.S. than the U.S. and Mexican governments reported. The Washington Post, Mexican newspaper El Universal and Lighthouse Reports reviewed death records from every Mexican state and Texas county along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Through their research and data from public records requests, they found more than 1,100 people drowned trying to cross the Rio Grande from Mexico into the U.S. between 2017 and 2023.
The investigation documented 858 deaths in Texas in that span, while U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recorded 587 across the entire southwestern border.
A CBP official told the Post it was a challenge to document every death. They claimed the unit running the tracking efforts has limited funding.
The number peaked in 2022, a year when a record number of migrants tried to cross into the U.S. The report states 267 people died between the U.S. and Mexico that year.
Many of the people crossing were families. In 2023, 1 in 10 drownings involved a child, the report says.
The report found one Texas city in particular where many crossings and drownings occurred.
Eagle Pass became a hub because of its location across from a border area of Mexico considered safer than others controlled by gangs.
That area of the river is particularly tough to cross, with fast-moving currents and a sudden deep spot near the middle.
Additional challenges came from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s efforts to defy the Biden administration and enforce border security using state resources. Abbott’s administration has placed containers, buoys and barbed wire along the river to discourage crossings.
Abbott’s office told the Post that it didn’t believe the administration’s efforts, code-named Operation Lone Star, contributed to any deaths.
Abbott blamed the Biden administration, accusing it of encouraging people to take the risk of crossing.
A White House spokesperson told the Post that Biden administration policies implemented over the summer have reduced border crossings. They accused Republicans of engaging in “dangerous and inhumane political stunts.”
Appeals court rules Texas can keep floating buoys in Rio Grande
Texas has won a recent legal battle over its controversial buoy barrier security measure. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Texas can keep the buoys in the Rio Grande River while a larger lawsuit on their legality continues. This ruling overturns a previous court injunction that required Texas to remove the buoys during legal proceedings.
The buoys, meant to deter migrants from crossing the river to reach the U.S., were initially installed along the Rio Grande in July of 2023. Almost immediately, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott faced a lawsuit challenging the initiative.
The Biden administration argued that the buoys pose a safety hazard and that border security is a matter for the federal government, not state governments.
The buoys are located near Eagle Pass, Texas. This border sector has seen the second-highest number of crossings this fiscal year.
The final decision on the future of the buoys will be determined once the Department of Justice’s lawsuit has worked its way through the courts. This debate goes before Judge David Ezra in U.S. District Court on Aug. 6.
Biden, Trump make separate visits to southern border: March 1, 2024
In competing visits, President Biden and former President Trump address the crisis at the southern border. And, at least two people are dead in the largest fire in Texas history. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Friday, March 1, 2024.
Biden, Trump make separates stops at Southern border to address immigration
President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump made competing visits to the southern border on Thursday, Feb. 29, each addressing the migrant crisis, a pivotal issue for voters as the two frontrunners for their parties gear up for a potential presidential face-off in November.
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Positioned 300 miles apart, both surveyed the U.S.-Mexico border and discussed the record number of migrants illegally crossing into the United States. During his visit to Brownsville, Biden called on Trump to support the Senate’s bipartisan border security bill, which Trump has opposed.
“Here’s what I would say to Mr. Trump,” Biden said. “Instead of playing politics with this issue, instead of telling members of Congress to block this legislation, join me, or I’ll join you, in telling the Congress to pass this bipartisan security bill. We can do it together. You know, and I know is the toughest, most efficient, most effective border security bill this country has ever seen.”
Meanwhile, in Eagle Pass, Trump, accompanied by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, blamed Biden for the crisis.
“Now the United States is being overrun by the Biden migrant crime,” Trump said. “It’s a new form of a vicious violation to our country. It’s migrant crime. We call it Biden migrant crime but that’s a little bit long, so we’ll just leave it. But every time you hear the term migrant crime, you know where that comes from.”
A recent Gallup poll indicates immigration has surged to the forefront of American concerns, followed by the government and the economy. The poll found a record high 55 percent of adults view the influx of immigrants entering the U.S. illegally as a critical threat to the nation.
Airman accused of leaking defense info expected to plead guilty
Teixeira faced a potential maximum sentence of 60 years for charges related to the improper handling and public disclosure of national defense secrets. The classified documents he leaked included sensitive information about Ukraine’s air defenses and a foreign plot targeting U.S. troops overseas.
Prosecutors said there was no evidence of espionage, rather, Teixeira wanted to impress people on the site with his insider information. The 22-year-old, who was stationed at an air base in Cape Cod, has been in custody since his arrest last spring at his mother’s home in Massachusetts.
Congress passes stop-gap spending bill to avert government shutdown
Congress passed a short-term funding deal Feb. 29, to prevent a partial government shutdown that was set to begin Friday, March 1. The bill now awaits President Biden’s signature.
The Senate approved the stop-gap measure with a vote of 77 to 13, setting new funding deadlines for government agencies to March 8th and March 22nd. Earlier in the day, the House passed the measure by a vote of 320 to 99.
Investigations are underway to determine if a gas leak or a stove ignited the fire on the first floor of a restaurant, leading to rapid spread throughout the building.
Dozens of firefighters fought for over two hours to bring the blaze under control. Some survivors made their escape by heading to the building’s roof.
Officials warn that the death toll may increase as emergency services have taken around 20 people with critical injuries to local hospitals.
Following this incident, the government has formed a panel to investigate the cause and to develop strategies to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Texas battles Smokehouse Creek Fire, largest in state history
Texas A&M Forest Service Chief Wes Moorehead stated, “As firefighters continue to suppress active fires, we urge Texans to be cautious with any outdoor activity that may cause a spark.”
The Texas Agriculture Commissioner has noted a significant impact on livestock, with thousands of cattle dead and concerns that the numbers could rise.
During his visit to the U.S.-Mexico border, President Joe Biden announced he has directed federal officials to do “everything possible” to assist communities affected by the fires. This includes sending more firefighters and equipment.
The cause of the wildfires remains unknown.
Phillies end dollar dog nights after unruly fan behavior
For baseball enthusiasts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, an era is coming to an end, but not for reasons like player retirements or stadium demolitions. Rather, it’s about hot dogs.
After 27 years, Philadelphia Phillies fans will no longer enjoy their cherished Dollar Dog Nights, a tradition where hot dogs were sold for just one dollar a few times during the baseball season. The decision to end this beloved promotion comes in the wake of unruly behavior from fans last season, which included throwing hot dogs and led to several ejections from the stands.
Moving forward, the Phillies will replace Dollar Dog Nights with a buy one, get one deal. However, fans looking for budget-friendly hot dog nights can still find them with another Pennsylvania team, the Pittsburgh Pirates, who continue to offer Dollar Dog Nights.
TX Gov. Abbott vows to continue border standoff, GOP governors offer more aid
Thirteen Republican governors joined Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, R, over the weekend of Feb. 2 at Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, Texas. Shelby Park currently serves as the epicenter of a standoff between the state of Texas and the federal government.
“As opposed to detaining any illegal immigrants, Biden has instead let them all loose across the entire country with no ability to accurately determine their whereabouts or what they may be doing,” Abbott said during a news conference in Eagle Pass on Sunday, Feb. 4.
In January, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that federal agents could cut razor wire that was installed by Texas authorities at the southern border to deter illegal migrant crossings. Since the ruling, Abbott vowed not to allow federal agents into Shelby Park, prompting Democrats to call on Biden to federalize the Texas National Guard.
With more than a dozen GOP governors, Abbott repeated his claim that Texas is in imminent danger from an “invasion” of migrants, maintaining that the state has the right to protect itself from that danger.
Abbott said too many Americans are dying from fentanyl that is pouring across the border, adding that terrorists on the terror watchlist are finding ways into the country and putting all Americans at risk.
In December 2023, U.S. federal agents recorded more than 302,000 encounters at the southern border, including 250,000 arrests for illegal crossings.
“Texas will continue to exercise that self-defense and expand the area where we’re using that self-defense to make sure we’ll be able to better protect our communities,” Abbott said.
Texas authorities have been successful in securing Shelby Park, according to Abbott. The Texas governor also noted there’s been an average of just three migrants crossing illegally in that area over three days.
“The president is obligated by laws passed by Congress to actually secure the border and deny illegal entry,” Abbott said. “Texas has shown that we can reduce it to three people crossing across the border. Joe Biden, it is your turn now, your obligation, your duty to follow the law Congress passed and secure the border just as Texas has.”
More than a dozen other Republican governors, including some from Arkansas, Georgia and Nebraska, stood next to Abbott at the news conference in Shelby Park, pledging their support for Texas.
“Arkansas sent National Guard troops here last year,” Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, R-Ark. “And I can commit today, we’ll continue to do that over the course of this year, as much as we can and as much as is needed, until the federal government and Joe Biden step up and do their jobs.”
“The message of all governors with Gov. Abbott is all we’re asking Joe Biden to do is enforce the laws of our country,” said Gov. Jim Pillen, R-Neb.
Meanwhile, President Biden spoke to Mexico’s President Andrés Manuel López Obrador over the weekend and they “reiterated their shared commitment to bolster our joint efforts to counter transnational criminal organizations involved in the illicit trafficking of drugs, guns and people,” according to a readout of the phone call from the White House.
Texas and federal government clash over razor wire removal
The Supreme Court ruled that Border Patrol agents are allowed to remove razor wire at the U.S.-Mexico border on Monday, Jan. 22. That same day, Texas National Guard installed more razor wire, placing the majority of it at Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, Texas. Soldiers have taken over the park and refuse to allow federal agents’ entry.
The case over whether agents can or cannot remove razor wire is in the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. The court will hear arguments next month on whether states or the federal government have jurisdiction over what happens at the border.
The ruling is seen as a win for the Biden administration, however, Texas officials are not happy about it. The decision has escalated tense rhetoric over the border crisis, and many elected officials took to social media to voice their displeasure.
“The Texas National Guard continues to hold the line in Eagle Pass. Texas will not back down from our efforts to secure the border in Biden’s absence,” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, R, posted on X.
The razor wire was installed to act as a deterrent to illegal border crossings. A reporter from the Epoch Times posted an example of its apparent effectiveness, showing a man from Guatemala at the border asking to go to Atlanta to work.
According to the reporter, the man wasn’t able to find a way to get around the razor wire and gave up, choosing to head upstream to find a different place to cross.
Illegal immigration has billion-dollar impact on social services across the US
Immigration on the southern border is breaking records and costing states and localities billions of taxpayer dollars. During a hearing Thursday, Jan. 11, a House Judiciary subcommittee explored the impacts illegal immigration is having on social services.
As an example, the Eagle Pass Fire Department in Texas responded to more than 9,000 calls in 2023, approximately 10% of which were migrant related.
According to the chief, those migrant-related calls cost the department an additional $15,000 to $18,000 a day. The added costs include personnel and a new ambulance solely dedicated to the border. Firefighters often respond to medical emergencies and drownings in the Rio Grande.
“These body recoveries include men, women, and children ranging from two months to 15 years old,” Eagle Pass Fire Department Chief Manuel Mello said. “As a witness to many incidents, I am here to tell you we are being overwhelmed with EMS calls and body recoveries.”
Republicans also pointed to the costs and impacts on education.
On Wednesday, New York City officials moved 3,500 students at James Madison High School in Brooklyn to remote learning so the facility could be used as a storm shelter for immigrants.
Mayor Eric Adams, D, announced the city had spent nearly $1.5 billion providing for asylum-seekers in fiscal year 2023 as of August. That total includes money for food, shelter and other services.
Adams projected that the city could spend as much as $12 billion over fiscal years 2023, ’24 and ’25.
“Now this crisis is not because of incompetence. This is the deliberate policy of this administration,” Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., said.
According to Democrats, immigrants help drive the economy by paying an estimated $7 billion in sales and excise taxes, $3.6 billion in property taxes and $1.1 billion in personal income taxes every year.
“Immigrants do not hurt the economy,” Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash. said. “What hurts us are antiquated laws that require the detention of lawful asylum-seekers and inefficient and arbitrary waiting periods for work authorization.”
Federal law requires asylum-seekers to wait 180 days to receive a work authorization. Democrats contend that applicants would be able to better provide for themselves if they could work immediately, which would require a change to immigration law.
“It is absurd to say that immigrants are a drain on the economy,” Jayapal said. “Study after study have proven that the U.S. economy is driven by immigrants, both documented and undocumented.”
Nearly 2.5 million migrants were caught illegally crossing into the United States in fiscal year 2023, a yearly record. Approximately 270,000 were apprehended crossing in September, a monthly record.
Reports indicate that record was broken in December, but the official numbers have not been released.
Judge bars US border agents from cutting, removing razor wire Texas installed
Texas is taking the federal government to court over border protection. A significant development occurred on Monday, Oct. 30, when a federal judge issued an order preventing U.S. Border Patrol agents from removing or cutting the razor wire installed by the state along the border.
This order comes in response to Texas’ lawsuit against the Biden administration over the removal of the razor wire in Eagle Pass, a location where numerous migrants have crossed the border, putting a strain on available resources.
Federal judge orders Biden Admin to stop cutting razor wire along Texas-Mexico border.
Another win for Texas & our historic border mission.
Biden created this crisis & has tried to block us at every turn.
Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican from Texas, celebrated the ruling on social media, posting: “Another win for Texas and our historic border mission.”
The temporary order is set to expire on Nov. 13, and it applies specifically to the razor wire installed in Eagle Pass. Texas National Guard members have also erected wire barriers at other high-traffic sections, including Brownsville and El Paso. The order also permits the barrier’s removal for emergency medical assistance to migrants.
Source: Reuters.
These barriers are part of Texas’ Operation Lone Star.
In fiscal year 2023, Texas Border Patrol agents encountered over 1.2 million migrants entering the state illegally. The state argues that the federal government’s actions, particularly the removal of razor wire along the border, weaken the state’s border security efforts.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton stated: “The federal government’s outrageous escalation in response to our lawsuit demonstrates Biden’s disturbing contempt for the State of Texas, for the citizens of the United States, and for our country’s entire foundation of the rule of law.”
The lawsuit underscores a significant concern: Despite ongoing security measures, thousands of migrants have succeeded in entering the country illegally in the Eagle Pass region.
This legal action emphasizes the state’s position that the removal of razor wire is counterproductive to its efforts to control unauthorized border crossings. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson confirmed the agency’s intention to comply with the court’s order.
Texas sues DHS for cutting razor wire barrier during ongoing border crisis
Migrant crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border surged in 2023, reaching 2.47 million encounters. The Biden administration is working to address the immigration crisis but faces additional pressure from Texas.
The state has filed multiple lawsuits accusing the administration of obstructing its efforts to curb illegal immigration.
Source: Reuters.
In September, federal courts sided with Texas, allowing the state to maintain its floating barrier on a part of the Rio Grande.
Now, the newest lawsuit filed by Attorney General Ken Paxton accuses the Biden administration of damaging Texas-installed border razor wire.
“But I’m really hopeful for this potential case in the future where we can have the opportunity to protect our own citizens when our federal government won’t do it,” Paxton said.
The issue gained increased attention last month when thousands of migrants in Eagle Pass forced themselves through razor wire barriers. Video clips showing Border Patrol agents cutting the razor wire circulated on social media.
“Texas has the sovereign right to construct border barriers to prevent the entry of illegal aliens,” Paxton said.
The lawsuit targets the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection, alleging that federal actions disrupt Texas border security, violate state and federal laws, and damage state-owned property.
A new rule, implemented in May under President Biden’s administration, impacts migrants who haven’t requested an appointment to legally cross using the CBP One app. This rule can raise the asylum threshold and lead to quicker deportations.
Source: Reuters.
Migrant numbers decreased after this rule was introduced. However, in recent weeks, numbers have been rising, as thousands, including many from Venezuela, traveled through South and Central America to reach the border.
Nationwide encounters
In fiscal year 2023, 65% of encountered individuals were single adults (2.06 million), but family units are an increasing share. This year, 31% of those encountered (994,000) were family units, up from 22% (614,000) in fiscal year 2022 and 25% (484,000) in fiscal year 2021.
USBP and OFO as of 10/13/23.
This legal action underscores the ongoing challenges surrounding immigration and border security in the U.S. The Texas border accounts for nearly half of the entire U.S.-Mexico border, stretching 1,200 miles.
“Here in Iowa, we’re a long way from the southern border, but the impacts are felt here. Every state is a border state now because of the absolute failure of the Biden administration to secure our border,” Attorney General Brenna Bird of Iowa said.
Source: Reuters.
In a poll conducted by the Siena College Research Institute, 84% of New Yorkers agreed that the migrant influx is a serious problem, and more than 50% of white, Black, and Latino voters supported Mayor Eric Adams’s statement that “this issue will destroy New York City.”
Surging migrant crisis is overwhelming US cities from Eagle Pass, TX, to NYC
There’s another migrant surge at the U.S. southern border. Thousands of migrants, mostly from Venezuela, crossed the Rio Grande during the week of Sept. 17, trekking into Eagle Pass, Texas.
Border officials report at least two people drowned in the river including a 3-year-old child.
“I’ll be honest with you, I believe 100% he does bear some responsibility for this crisis,” Salinas said about President Biden. “I haven’t heard from anybody in the administration. The president hasn’t put out a statement, the vice president. I haven’t heard from anybody. Nobody has bothered to call me or anyone on the city staff saying, ‘Hey this is the federal government. We know what you’re going through, we’re worried about you, this is our plan of action.’ Nothing. We’re here abandoned. We’re on the border asking for help. This is unacceptable.”
According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, these daily large migrant crossing numbers haven’t been this high since just before Title 42 expired in May 2023. The coronavirus pandemic-era policy allowed U.S. officials to turn away migrants at the border citing health concerns.
On May 8, 2023, border officials reported more than 10,000 migrant crossings in a single day. And now, 4.5 months later, officials are seeing similar numbers.
As CNN reports, there were more than 8,000 apprehensions on Monday, Sept. 18 alone, and more than 8,600 crossings in a 24-hour period between Wednesday and Thursday.
Politicians on both sides of the aisle are responding.
For more than a year, Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has been bussing thousands of migrants to sanctuary cities including Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and New York City.
NYC’s Democratic Mayor Eric Adams, and previous administrations, had declared the city a sanctuary city. This year, more than 100,000 migrants have shown up in NYC. Just last week, Adams said the migrant crisis would “destroy” New York City.
DHS estimates this will help 470,000 migrants across the country.
Adams is now planning to start evicting tens of thousands of migrants to discourage new arrivals. But for now, that’s not stopping migrants from coming across the U.S. southern border.
Abbott said the Texas National Guard installed miles of razor wire to help deter illegal immigrants from pouring into Texas. That plan backfired. Abbott appeared on Fox News to talk about the situation.
“And we have repelled tens of thousands of migrants who’ve tried to get into Texas illegally,” Abbot said. “And then yesterday, Joe Biden had his Border Patrol officers cut through that razor wire, and then they pulled the razor wire, and then suddenly let in hundreds, if not thousands of people, illegally into Texas, into the United States.”
Gov. Abbott says he then ordered the Texas National Guard to double the razor wire along the border to help keep denying access to migrants.
The Biden administration announced it will also deploy 800 troops to assist U.S. Customs and Border Protection in processing migrants that have crossed the southern border.
Judge to rule on Texas river buoy barrier as governors visit border
A hearing was set for Tuesday, Aug. 22 where a judge will consider whether Texas can keep the floating buoy barrier it constructed in the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass. The Justice Department sued Texas over the barrier, arguing it could impact relations with Mexico.
Both the department and Mexico have expressed concern the buoys could pose humanitarian and environmental risks. It wasn’t clear if U.S. District Judge David Ezra was going to rule on the barrier Tuesday.
The hearing was set to take place just days after Texas repositioned the river buoy barrier closer to the U.S. side of the river. On Monday, Aug. 21, Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) said the barrier was moved “out of an abundance of caution” after allegations that the buoys had drifted to the Mexico side.
“I don’t know whether they were true or not,” Gov. Abbott said. His comments Monday came during a visit to Eagle Pass, where he was joined by the following governors:
Gov. Kim Reynolds (R-IA)
Gov. Jim Pillen (R-NE)
Gov. Kevin Stitt (R-OK)
Gov. Kristi Noem (R-SD)
“We have 14 Governors who are deploying personnel to secure the border that President Biden has abandoned. President Biden is not doing his job, and he is responsible for the largest amount of illegal immigration in the history of the United States and has rolled out a deadly welcome mat with a record number of people dying attempting to cross the border,” Abbott said. “There is a reason the United Nations has named the border between the United States and Mexico the deadliest land border in the entire world. President Biden is responsible for that deadly border, and we’re not going to stand idly by.”
Abbott’s mission to combat the border crisis, known as Operation Lone Star, has faced legal challenges. Four migrant men who were arrested by Texas troopers after crossing the border have sued county officials in the state.
According to the lawsuit, the men remained in a Texas jail for two to six weeks after they should have been released. The lawsuit alleges that instead of being released, the men were transported to federal immigration facilities and sent back to Mexico.
