Texas "physically barred" Border Patrol agents from trying to rescue migrants who drowned, federal officials say

[riversedge]

Source: cbs







By Camilo Montoya-Galvez

Updated on: January 13, 2024 / 11:38 PM EST / CBS News

A woman and two children drowned in the Rio Grande on Friday while trying to enter the U.S. near a section of the southern border where Texas National Guard soldiers have prevented federal Border Patrol agents from processing and rescuing migrants.

Federal officials and a Texas congressman said National Guard soldiers deployed by Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott did not allow Border Patrol agents to attempt to rescue the migrants. Earlier this week, Texas National Guard soldiers abruptly seized control of a public park in Eagle Pass that Border Patrol had been using to hold migrants, marking the latest escalation in an intensifying political and legal feud between Abbott and President Biden over U.S. border policy.

On Friday night, Border Patrol identified six migrants in the Rio Grande who were in distress near the park, known as Shelby Park, Democratic Congressman Henry Cuellar said in a statement Saturday. Federal agents, Cuellar added, unsuccessfully attempted to contact Texas state officials about the emergency by phone. Then, when Border Patrol agents went to the park and asked to be allowed to render aid to the migrants, they were denied entry, according to Cuellar.

....................

"This is a tragedy, and the State bears responsibility," he added.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/3-migrants-drown-near-shelby-park-eagle-pass-texas-soldiers-denied-entry-federal-border-agents/

---

Trumps cult has seized on this horrible incident.

Link to tweet

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Link to tweet

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[Walleye]

1. Are these really American men watching a woman and children drown and doing nothing about it, and bragging about it?

Is this the state of the American male,? don’t tell me there were women there, probably were, but we know who’s running this atrocity

[Dustlawyer]

67. Yes, good Christians! (Sarcasm)

[Skittles]

95. "pro-lifers"

they make me sick

[liberalgunwilltravel]

2. Charge them

Charge the Texas “”law” enforcement involved with a federal hate crime, including manslaughter and charge Abbott with accessory.

[PTL_Mancuso]

24. This is just mentally SICK.

So many instances of the type of dehumanizing thought patterns going on across the globe.

Is this what their god commands?

[lonely bird]

3. Cut off all federal dollars earmarked for Texas

NOW!

[AllaN01Bear]

13. better yet. pull out nasa mission control. pull all military installations etc.

[Joinfortmill]

17. Excellent idea.

[VGuerra276]

66. Our federal government is complicit

That the feds are just standing by watching these murders is astounding. Pres. is empowered to nationalize the national guard. No words.

[Evolve Dammit]

80. Makes me wonder what the thought process is. You have a valid point. Welcome to DU

[KS Toronado]

106. Welcome to DU

[Scrivener7]

22. And rerout it to the cities where they are busing people.

[AllaN01Bear]

26. good idear.

[bucolic_frolic]

4. Texas the Pro-Life State

[oldmanlynn]

5. Seems like Biden has to do something here

The Longer the Texas Military pushes the border patrol around the weaker this appears. Biden should send in Military and get control back.

[Novara]

6. Send the National Guard

When Wallace refused to desegregate schools in AL according to law in 1963, Kennedy sent in the National Guard.

People are dying. Not only should they send the National Guard to allow border agents to do their jobs, Abbott should be prosecuted for manslaughter.

[malthaussen]

31. Um, it is the TX National Guard that is obstructing the Feds.

Unless and until they are Federalized, they are under the Governor of their State.

-- Mal

[sir pball]

37. Fuck the Guard, send in the 101st. There's desegregation-era precedent for it.

Last edited Sun Jan 14, 2024, 02:08 PM - Edit history (1)

When the Arkansas National Guard blocked integration of Little Rock schools, Eisenhower took the gloves off and marched the 101st Airborne down there with orders to let the Black kids in, or else.

It worked quite well. Biden should do the same. Send down the Army, nationalize the Texas Guard, give them 1 hour to stand down, and then order the military to seize the park, by any means necessary.

Then arrest Abbott and Paxton for sedition and insurrection.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Rock_Nine

[skydive forever]

59. Not going to happen

But I like the way you think

[Seinan Sensei]

7. Someone needs to notify Greg Abbott's church

They should kick him out of the congregation for religious malpractice

[wolfie001]

12. I've seen clips of republican preachers.....

telling their congregants that gay people need to be shot in the back of the head. In front of their republican church in front of their republican attendees. We are so close to a Civil War it's scary.

[Jilly_in_VA]

77. He's SUCH a good Christian /s

Catholic, even. Real right-to-lifer. I wonder when was the last time he went to confession? How many of his sins did he omit to confess? Doesn't he know that puts him in mortal peril? Didn't he learn his catechism properly? Hell, i know it better than he does, and I'm not even Catholic, I'm Orthodox!

[ArkansasDemocrat1]

82. Are you kidding

They like that shit. It was Gods will they drowned according to them.

[Lonestarblue]

8. Greg Abbott has finally figured out a way to have migrants killed with no consequences.

He is pure evil and purely representative of the hate the Republican Party has for anyone not white, not rich, not heterosexual, and not male.

[Goddessartist]

11. Yes

and pure evil indeed.

[FakeNoose]

57. This is outright cruelty, and it borders on negligent homicide

I hate to believe that Texans approve of this latest outrage from their Governor.

[IronLionZion]

9. So they're pro-life

Cruelty is the point. They don't want the border agents to save these people and then detain them for processing. They want them to die.

[Evolve Dammit]

81. Cruelty is the whole point, for all GOP.

[paleotn]

10. Biden should nationalize the TX Nat Guard.

Border Patrol having to ask permission from the TX Nat Guard so they can do their jobs? Umm, no. That's a bridge way, way, way too far. Biden, as commander and chief, has the power to take control of the TX Nat Guard. Needs to be done. TX has zero authority to police our national border.

[ananda]

14. Texans, please vote us out of this nightmare!

Go Dem!

[machoneman]

15. Forget the TX Nat'l Guard, they are under Abbott's thumb. Send in the U.S. Army with tanks and gunships. Destroy any...

....TX vehicles that don't withdraw, arrest all TX Rangers, Nat'l Guard and other TX law enforcement types at the border. This is Federal land too and they don't seem to get it. Better, arrest Abbott and his flunky, Paxson, as well.

[oldmanlynn]

20. Thats my question.

Does it seem weak if the US government does nothing but sue in courts?

[markodochartaigh]

70. To me

it seems very similar to the Bundy crime family situation. Bundy owed millions for grazing his cattle on federal lands, didn't pay, was sued, lost in court, didn't pay, and nothing was done.

[GiqueCee]

33. If I'm not mistaken...

... ALL National Guard units, regardless of what state they're in, are ultimately under the control of the federal government. Do enlighten me if I've got that wrong.

There is no bottom to Abbott's cesspool of malice and depravity.

ON EDIT: Apparently, there is DUAL control shared by the states and the federal government. What could go wrong?

[IronLionZion]

91. The president can federalize the national guard

like Eisenhower did in Arkansas. He also sent in the 101st Airborne from the US Army

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Rock_Nine#Integration_of_Central_High_School

[summer_in_TX]

94. Abbott, Paxton, and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick unfortunately aren't up for re-election until 2026.

An evil triumvirate.

I have been paying more attention to the national rise in fascism and just had an ah ha moment about it in Texas. Texas has been dominated by awful Republicans for so long I had taken that for granted. Bad, very bad, but mentally I hadn't taken the leap to realized it is fascist. Finally the tipping point came this week and it finally dawned on me.

This election is critical for states, not just national politics.

[AdamGG]

98. Kind of mind boggling that Texas governors

have gotten progressively worse since George W Bush.

[ananda]

108. I hear you.

At least the Trumpers I know are mostly former now,
though I don't know if they would actually vote Dem.

[Joinfortmill]

16. Ok, so this can't stand. Abbott should be charged, personally.

The Biden Administration has sent this issue to SCOTUS. We'll see how this, at least partially, corrupt court rules.

More and more important cases like this will come before this ultra conservative, dare I say, corruptly activist court, and the the consequences will be felt by Americans for a very long time. Someone needs to give at least two of these justices, Thomas and Kavanaugh, the same choice Kennedy was offered. And if that doesn't work, they need to make what they know, which is a lot, public. Just saying, folks.

[oldmanlynn]

21. This seems like a losing battle. Send it to the Conservative SCoTUS?

I personally would rather see some force here for the US Government. Otherwise it looks like one side is getting man handled.

[Fla Dem]

18. Republican Hypocrisy... A mom and 2 CHILDREN drowned.

So much about caring for the child. Only in the womb. If the Mom was pregnant, would she have been saved?

"Tragically, a woman and two children drowned last night in the Shelby Park area of Eagle Pass, which was commandeered by the State of Texas earlier this week," the department said. "In responding to a distress call from the Mexican government, Border Patrol agents were physically barred by Texas officials from entering the area."

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/3-migrants-drown-near-shelby-park-eagle-pass-texas-soldiers-denied-entry-federal-border-agents/

[3catwoman3]

46. "If the mom was pregnant, would she have been saved?"

That is an excellent question.

[Blue Owl]

65. An excellent question indeed

[Skittles]

96. no

they don't care about migrants, not at all

[BlueGreenLady]

19. Too sad.

[joshdawg]

23. This is all on abbott!

abbott needs to disappear, I care not how. Worst human being, next to trump, and worst governor Texas has ever had........including bush, the idiot son.

[prodigitalson]

25. I thought all lives mattered

[woodsprite]

104. To Repubs in TX, only white male lives matter. nt

[cate94]

27. What a fucking disgrace. N/t

[chicoescuela]

28. Wonder how good Greg's swimming skillS are

[sinkingfeeling]

29. The worshipper of the fetus is the murderer of children. Talkin' to you, Abbott.

[malthaussen]

30. Determine who issued the unlawful order and prosecute him under the UCMJ. n/t

[DownriverDem]

32. MAGA Repubs

are pure evil.

[GiqueCee]

34. Gee whizz...

... who ya gonna believe? That beacon of stalwart veracity, Governor Abbott and his malignant minions, or the lyin' eyes of people on the ground that witnessed the events in question? What a conundrum...

[Omaha Steve]

35. Never mind

[dlk]

39. Abbott is a murdering psychopath

Abbott gets off pushing the envelope. What would happen if Biden sent in the army to enforce federal law?. The Texas governor continues to demonstrate his pathology at the expense of people’s lives; sick and twisted doesn’t begin to cover it. He belongs behind bars.

[Lunabell]

40. MONSTERS!!

OMG! These monsters murdered two choldren and an innocent woman!

ABBOTT, YOU HAVE BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS!! YOU'RE A FUCKING MONSTER!!

[kimbutgar]

41. I could get religious here and say what if that mother was Mary and one of those dead children was a modern day Jesus

Abbott allowed Mother Mary and Jesus to die because of his evil politics!

[bluestarone]

42. Fuckers!!! To this day, WHERE IS THE SC?

Out having a wonderful paid for vacation to the Bahamas? Somethings gotta be done here!!!

[Polybius]

44. The Supreme Court doesn't work like that

They can't just take it upon themselves and say "hey, let's stop Abbot from blocking the Border Patrol." The federal government first has to file a motion in court, then a federal judge takes it, then the court of appeals, then the Supreme Court.

[bluestarone]

47. I thought they asked the SC, because the Texas national guard blocked them from their duties?

They went straight to SC because of this. THEY WERE asked to intervene,.

[Polybius]

49. I think that was about Abbott putting up razor wire

If they did to this case, I apologize. I hadn't heard.

[bluestarone]

51. I believe this IS the area that the migrants died.

The razor wire was put there to stop thr feds from entering this area. (maybe because they were hiding what had happened?) I'm pretty sure they asked SC to intervene HERE. Guess we'll see?

[Polybius]

52. If that's the case, I truly apologize

I had thought that the razor wire was put there to stop the migrants.

[bluestarone]

53. Hey no problems here!

I'm not 100% sure, but i think they DID ask SC two days ago? Anyway no problems..

[Polybius]

54. Same here!

There are so many cases that I can't keep up. I remember several months ago there was another one as well. Abbott was putting river barriers up. The Biden Administration took him to court, but I haven't heard anything in a while.

https://ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/politics/2023/07/10/gov--abbott-under-fire-for-river-barriers-along-rio-grande

[Mysterian]

43. Charge them with murder and convict

Lock their murdering asses up.

[Historic NY]

45. Go use Google and type Eagle Pass Golf Course.

See the orange wall Texas took over this golf course. Why the Trump Wall or fence was place so far back is beyond me . There is a immigration and border patrol station nearby.

The Eagle Pass Municipal Golf Course in Eagle Pass, Texas, is sandwiched between the Rio Grande River and sections of border fence approved during George W. Bush’s presidency. Credit: Reveal research, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, OpenStreetMap, Google Earth/Digital Globe Credit: Reveal research, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Google Earth/Digital Globe

https://revealnews.org/article/the-wall-building-a-continuous-u-s-mexico-barrier-would-be-a-tall-order/

https://www.google.com/maps/place/483+Bliss+St,+Eagle+Pass,+TX+78852/@28.7086605,-100.5052156,857a,35y,194.62h,44.74t/data=!3m1!1e3!4m7!3m6!1s0x865f8c41a374a633:0x17551d71da659838!8m2!3d28.7019368!4d-100.5048078!10e5!16s%2Fg%2F11c4s0qwb5?hl=en&entry=ttu]

]https://photoblog.statesman.com/tag/border-fence-in-eagle-pass-texas-piedras-negras-coahuila-mexico


?resize=1172%2C675&ssl=1

[Magoo48]

48. Fucking Texas.

Isn’t this some kind of manslaughter?

[Mersky]

50. Abbott's flirting with sedition

To appear more stupid and cruel than tRump. That’s all the man does — try to out tRump tRump and it’s disgusting/pathetic. The fascist fool wants to provoke the federal government into a confrontation, or at least go right up to the line. The Biden admin is too smart to take the bait, and will be methodical and by the law in how they approach this.

[Bayard]

55. At the rate they're going,

There's going to be gunfire. The new Civil War.

[bluestarone]

58. Yea you got that right!! Matter of fact, i saw a new movie coming this spring. CIVIL WAR.

I saw scenes to it, and thought WOW! this is just what our country needs now! Holy shit. One scene, someone says :i'm an American" then the other actor says "yea but what kind of an American are you?" Here we go! WOW, just WOW.

[bahboo]

56. Enough! Godfuckingdammit.....

[cayugafalls]

60. Why do I dream of Abbott on the edge of the river and he forgets to lock his wheels...

It is odd...

[LudwigPastorius]

61. Joe needs to federalize the Texas National Guard.

Eisenhower did this with the Arkansas National Guard to stop them from taking orders from the Governor and opposing desegregation.

[prodigitalson]

62. there should be criminal charges filed against anyone who prevented a rescue

[Upthevibe]

63. riversedge.......

There you have it folks....Texas, a pro-llfe state.

[Blue Owl]

64. And these motherfucking cowards think they're some kind of heroes

Fuck Abbott and his henchmen

[Roy Rolling]

68. WTF?

Send in the U.S. military to seize the park. This is a power struggle Texas gov Abbott can’t win.

Your move, Shorty.

[Initech]

69. They really want to go full Nazi at the border don't they?

Fuck Greg Abbott, fuck Fox News, and fuck everyone who votes for these psychopaths. You are the real "border crisis".

[BlueIdaho]

71. Sounds like a murder charge to me.

No uniformed militia member should escape the wheels of justice here.

[surfered]

72. I thought Jesus told us to welcome the stranger...

…not install razor wire on bouts in the river or drown them.

[Pompoy]

73. Texas has a Military Department? n/t

[Walleye]

101. That was my reaction. I don't think there's a Delaware military department I'm not sure

[TxGuitar]

107. Nearly every state has military departments

Or state laws authorizing state defense forces. Not unique to Texas

[Jilly_in_VA]

74. DOJ should identify

and charge these soldiers with second degree murder. Abbott should be charged with murder for ordering this atrocity. Secondarily, the government should impose some kind of financial penalty on Texas. Perhaps stopping oil subsidies until this idiocy stops would work--the oil oligarch would turn on Abbott in a heartbeat.

[Baitball Blogger]

75. Christian nation Republican style.

[red dog 1]

76. Kick....."Texas National Guard Denies Ignoring a Migrant's Call for Help" (Includes Video)

https://cnn.com/2023/12/21/us/rio-grande-migrant-texas-national-guard-help/index.html

[Bettie]

78. What kind of person can stand

and not just watch people drown, but refuse to allow others to save them?

Not a good one, not a decent one.

I can't imagine watching and not trying to help, even if someone said "NO, don't do that!".

[Chainfire]

79. So the state of Texas is preventing Federal officers from doing their job. That sounds like an insurrection.

Abbot needs to feel the long arm of Federal law; arrest him in his office and take him to a Federal Jail, in New Jersey. He can take the same bus as the migrants.

[The Blue Flower]

83. What kind of training allows TNG members to stop being human?

As a former military spouse, I'm trying to wrap my head around these troops standing idly by and watching children drown with their mother. They have children themselves. Not trying to help is being complicit in their deaths. How do they obey such unlawful orders?

[GarColga]

84. Where is Richard Widmark

when we need him?

[DebbieCDC]

87. MTE

[Initech]

85. Greg Abbott is a fucking psychopath!

He's a bloodthirsty tyrant who's ruling Texas with an iron fist. He needs to be brought down. Fuck him, fuck Fox News for installing him, and fuck the right wing talk radio addicted morons who vote for these psychos.

[Walleye]

102. I think bloodthirsty is the correct word for these magas, deplorables is too weak anymore

[Biglinda 52]

86. Texas white men....

This is pro-life...eh? Murderers! They make me vomit. Time to let Texas go. Build a wall around it.

[reymega life]

88. this is a violation of international law and the most un-christian thing to do

I don't think Jesus said let my governors kill immigrants

[Walleye]

103. And they will tell you that Joe Biden is not a good Catholic, because he refuses to restrict women's rights

[quakerboy]

89. BPD would have got them if they wanted

They were perfectly happy to "anonymously" arrest/kidnap protestors for trump. They don't let locals stop them if they really wanted to do something. Homeland, ICE and BPD are rotten from the inside out, and need to be completely sacked and wholly remade if we actually want security in our nation.

[Trueblue Texan]

90. Gotta hand it to the Abbott administration...

...so fucking pro-life!

[mzmolly]

92. What have we become.

[Skittles]

97. it's what THEY have become

FUCKING NAZI SCUM

[orangecrush]

93. If nothing is done about this

It's time to hang it up.

[mahina]

99. This is obscene and breaks my heart in two.

Last edited Mon Jan 15, 2024, 05:45 AM - Edit history (1)

The feds, for their mental and spiritual health following that experience.

Hell readies a room for the texan murderers.

[whathehell]

100. I could be wrong, but this sounds like murder to me

...Absolutely appalling.