A woman and two children drowned in the Rio Grande; The Texas government would have prevented them from providing aid, asserting national security

(CNN) — The Department of Homeland Security confirmed this Saturday that a woman and her two children drowned in the Rio Grande this Friday night while trying to enter the United States. Migrants died in the Shelby Park area of ​​Eagle Pass, where the Texas government blocked access to Border Patrol agents.

“In response to a distress call from the government of Mexico, Border Patrol agents were physically prevented from entering the area by Texas officials,” a Homeland Security spokesperson said in a statement. “The policies of the governor of Texas are cruel, dangerous and inhumane, and Texas’ blatant disregard for federal immigration authority poses serious risks.”

The incident was previously reported by Democratic Congressman Henry Cueller on his X account. “This is a tragedy and it is the state’s responsibility,” Cuellar said in X, Formerly known as Twitter.

In addition, the Texas Department of Defense sent a statement this Saturday saying that security personnel along the Rio Grande denied seeing the victimized migrants on Friday night.

TMD said they were contacted by the US Border Patrol around 9pm this Friday about a “migratory distress situation” and that “no migration was observed” A unit that was near the boat ramp will record the river with lights and at night. vision

About 45 minutes later, “TMDA observed a group of Mexican authorities responding to the incident on the Mexican side of the river. “TMDA reported their observations to the Border Patrol and they confirmed that Mexican authorities did not require additional assistance,” the statement said.

According to the statement, the department had called off the search operation at that time.

“At no time did TMD riverside security personnel observe any migrants in distress, nor did TMD remove any illegal immigrants from the United States during this period,” the statement said. “Furthermore, TMD was not notified of any bodies in the Shelby Park area, nor was TMD notified of any bodies found on the US side of the border regarding this situation. “TMD maintains water rescue teams and actively works with local emergency medical services to assist evacuees in need of medical care.”

According to Cueller, the Border Patrol learned that a group of six migrants were in danger in the Rio Grande around 9 p.m. Friday.

The Border Patrol telephoned the Texas Military Department, the Texas National Guard and the Texas Department of Public Safety but were “unsuccessful” in relaying the information, Cuellar said in the post. Federal agents then physically went to the Shelby Park gate, set up by Texas authorities, to provide information, according to Cuellar.

National Guard soldiers stop to talk Tuesday as they patrol the Rio Grande River along the US-Mexico border in Eagle Pass, Texas. (John Moore/Getty Images)

“However, Texas Military Department troopers said they would not allow immigrants to enter — even in an emergency — and would send a trooper to investigate the situation,” Cuellar said in X.

Early Saturday morning, Mexican authorities recovered the bodies of three migrants, Cuellar said.

Border Patrol blockades at Shelby Park, a city park near the Rio Grande in Eagle Pass, were blocked Wednesday night as Texas authorities erected fences, gates and barbed wire to take custody and control of the park and adjacent areas of the Rio Grande, CNN previously reported. .

“As a result, the Border Patrol was unable to provide assistance to the immigrants and attempt to rescue them,” Cuellar said in X.

Earlier this week, the Biden administration complained to the US Supreme Court that Texas has effectively blocked agents’ access to a key part of the US-Mexico border. On Saturday, the state told the high court it was “working expeditiously” to ensure US Border Patrol agents had access to the boat ramp at Shelby Park.

A child’s shoes hang from high barbed wire on the banks of the Rio Grande in Eagle Pass, Texas, Tuesday. (John Moore/Getty Images)

Governor Greg Abbott’s office and the Texas Department of Public Safety referred CNN to the Texas National Guard for more information. The Texas Military Department did not respond to requests for comment Saturday.

“We are saddened by the tragic drowning of migrants in Eagle Pass,” a Customs and Border Protection spokesman said in a written statement. “We are gravely concerned about actions that prevent the United States Border Patrol from carrying out its essential mission of apprehending people entering the United States illegally and providing humanitarian response to those in need.”

Statement from the Government of Mexico

The Mexican Consulate also spoke about the deaths of three Mexicans who drowned in the Rio Bravo. In that sense, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs “condemned the unfortunate incident of January 12, 2024, where three Mexicans drowned while trying to cross the Rio Grande.”

The defense of the two Mexicans was also mentioned and they clarified that the consulate is “in permanent contact with authorities on both sides of the border” to follow up on the incident.

Finally, the Mexican government cited a “lawsuit filed by the federal government of the United States in that country’s Supreme Court” and said a follow-up would be made so that Border Patrol agents could enter the Shelby Park area. in Eagle Pass, which has been in the custody of the Texas National Guard since January 11, 2024, and which potentially affects aid and rescue protocols for migrants.

This news was originally published on January 13, 2024 and has been updated.