Texas troopers told to push children into Rio Grande, deny water to migrants

[Nevilledog]

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/border-trooper-migrants-wire-18205076.php

No paywall
https://archive.li/IEtyH

WASHINGTON — Officers working for Gov. Greg Abbott’s border security initiative have been ordered to push small children and nursing babies back into the Rio Grande, and have been told not to give water to asylum seekers even in extreme heat, according to an email from a Department of Public Safety trooper who described the actions as “inhumane.”

The July 3 account, reviewed by Hearst Newspapers, discloses several previously unreported incidents the trooper witnessed in Eagle Pass, where the state of Texas has strung miles of razor wire and deployed a wall of buoys in the Rio Grande.

According to the email, a pregnant woman having a miscarriage was found late last month caught in the wire, doubled over in pain. A four-year-old girl passed out from heat exhaustion after she tried to go through it and was pushed back by Texas National Guard soldiers. A teenager broke his leg trying to navigate the water around the wire and had to be carried by his father.

The email, which the trooper sent to a superior, suggests that Texas has set “traps” of razor wire-wrapped barrels in parts of the river with high water and low visibility. And it says the wire has increased the risk of drownings by forcing migrants into deeper stretches of the river.

The trooper called for a series of rigorous policy changes to improve safety for migrants, including removing the barrels and revoking the directive on withholding water.

*snip*

W.T.A.F.

[MissB]

1. Evil fuckers

And kudos to this trooper.

[MLAA]

2. +1000

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

16. +1

[Skittles]

3. Abbott calls himself PRO-LIFE

[Nevilledog]

4. They're all fucking sociopaths.

[bronxiteforever]

5. Kick for visibility of these evil deeds

[Baitball Blogger]

6. Christian values.

This is why we can't let conservative Christians to redefine this country based on their religious beliefs.

[GopherGal]

7. If this God they pretend to believe in actually exists,

Last edited Tue Jul 18, 2023, 08:08 AM - Edit history (1)

St Peter is sending them all on the down escalator. (And I don't mean the one at Trump Tower)

[mercuryblues]

8. This is absolutely sickening.

And they wonder why people are leaving Christianity behind.

Who would Jesus drown?

[DET]

9. How Is This Possible?

‘Other duties as assigned’ should not include deliberately hurting or potentially killing children. I can’t believe that this could be legal. And I can’t believe that people would actually do this.

[NowISeetheLight]

10. Open Fire?

What's next? Just open fire on them?

[LetMyPeopleVote]

11. This order came from Greg Abbott

Link to tweet

[Nevilledog]

12. Bet it will just get worse.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

34. If Greg decides to jump into the Presidential primary, it will get worse

[Straw Man]

13. The future is now.

[MagickMuffin]

14. Greg Abbott has proven how cruel he can be

It really is hard to phantom someone this cruel. But Greg Abbott delights in the cruelty. It brings him happiness.


I hope karma will come a little sooner for Greg Abbott!

[Warpy]

15. The man has gone full Nazi

and of course his full fury is turned on women and children, they don't fight back.

Firse he came for children and their mothers, and I said nothing...

Fill in the blanks.

[Old Crank]

17. Just think of how nasty

The GOP would be if they weren't Christians.

Sarcasm.

[Picaro]

18. This comes directly from my governor

Greg Abbot has already proved he is a monster.

This is more proof.

This is typical fascist behavior.

Someone that is paid by the state of texas pushed a 4 year old girl back through the wire. They are placing razor wire wrapped barrels in the Rio Grande to deliberately injure and maybe kill desperate refugees/immigrants.

Texas is governed by monsters.

I’m sorry. I promise I didn’t vote for them and I and my entire voted against these monsters.

[DemocraticPatriot]

24. I feel for you, my friend...

As much as Donald Trump as President was an embarrassment to me as an American,
I know you are shamed even more by your governor
(for whom you likewise did not vote).


Texas seems lost to me, although I appreciate the spirit of Texas Democrats who continue to stay and fight. Long-term demographics would seem to be on our side, but the so-far successful efforts of the Q-Republicans to gerrymander the state and make it harder for their opponents to cast votes, are not...

However, in my fantasies, I would like to pay to relocate voting Texas Democrats to 2 or 3 plains states which we could easily take over with those numbers... Montana, the Dakotas, Wyoming, etc...

I know many Texas Democrats stay there because they love their state (for reasons other than the politics of its majority),
or cannot leave for economic reasons..... but I still have that fantasy.

I wish you luck. Eventually, I hope, many Texans will come to their senses,
and those who do not vote will break down the doors of the polls to turn out these genocidal bastards....

I have a niece living in Texas now...

[Initech]

28. Abbott is a truly colossal piece of shit.

Like one of the worst human beings in the country. Fuck you Fox News and the religious right for installing this sadistic psychopath.

[chowder66]

19. If any of those troopers were family or friends I'd dump them in a heart beat.

They are potential murderers.

[NoMoreRepugs]

20. Abbott one upping gogoboots for biggest asshole.

[yankee87]

21. Murder charges?

How is not what the troopers are doing not murder? The troopers can’t use the, I was just following orders, bullshit.
The inhumanity of these people are astounding. That’s why I say, what happened in Nazi Germany could happen here if good people don’t speak up.

[DemocraticPatriot]

22. "Texas Democrats Push Greg Abbott Into The Rio Grand"

No???


Of course not, that would be unthinkable....

[Initech]

29. Well, nothing of value would be lost!

[DemocraticPatriot]

31. Indeed...

[Takket]

23. i thought drumpf solved this problem with his perfect beautiful wall?

[Solly Mack]

25. K&R

[Phoenix1960]

26. Facism

The US US decending into facism faster than I can keep up with

[Initech]

27. God, Abbott is a fucking sadistic psychopath.

Fuck him and all the religious right assholes who enable his behavior and others like him. Holy shit. If there is a hell, it waits for them.

[angrychair]

30. Pure evil

No other way to look at it

[UTUSN]

32. ABBUTT's 1st political initiative was to put a cap of $250K for disability compensation

like the one when the tree fell on him and left him paraplegic, for which *he* got ($15M? ). He's evil towards anybody disadvantaged, refusing readily available Medicaid funds. But he's got a great smile.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

33. Gregg Abbott is an asshole

Link to tweet

In a troubling email sent by a Department of Public Safety trooper, new details have emerged regarding Gov. Greg Abbott's border security initiative in Texas. According to the trooper's account, officers have been specifically instructed to forcibly push small children and nursing infants back into the Rio Grande, a river separating Mexico and the United States. Additionally, they have been directed to withhold water from asylum seekers, even in extreme heat conditions.

The trooper's email, dated July 3, sheds light on previously unreported incidents witnessed in Eagle Pass, where Texas has implemented various measures such as stringing miles of razor wire and deploying buoy walls in the Rio Grande. These actions were undertaken as part of the state's efforts to fortify the border and deter unauthorized crossings.

The email highlights several distressing incidents witnessed by the trooper. In one instance, a pregnant woman was found caught in the razor wire, experiencing excruciating pain as she suffered a miscarriage. Another incident involved a four-year-old girl who fainted due to heat exhaustion after attempting to traverse the wire, only to be forcefully pushed back by Texas National Guard soldiers. Furthermore, a teenager fractured his leg while navigating the water around the wire and had to be carried by his father.

The trooper's email also reveals that Texas has strategically placed razor wire-wrapped barrels in certain sections of the river with high water levels and low visibility, effectively setting what they referred to as "traps." This dangerous setup has inadvertently compelled migrants to venture into deeper stretches of the river, thereby increasing the risk of drownings.

Expressing concern for the safety of migrants, the trooper called for significant policy changes. These recommendations include removing the hazardous barrels and revoking the directive to withhold water from those seeking asylum. The trooper's appeal underscores the urgency of adopting more humane measures to ensure the well-being and protection of individuals attempting to cross the border.

[Nevilledog]

35. Haven't seen a single Republican denouncing this atrocity.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

36. Texas border razor wire hinders agents, endangers migrants

Link to tweet

[Vinca]

37. That's murder. DOJ needs to take action.