Texas troopers told to push back migrants into Rio Grande, report says
(CNN) — E-mails shared with CNN by the Texas Department of Public Safety detail a trooper-medic expressing concerns to a supervisor over the "in humane [sic]" treatment of migrants along the border in Eagle Pass, Texas.
The trooper writes in the e-mail that they "were given orders to push the people back into the water to go to Mexico" and were also ordered not to give water to the migrants.
The e-mail is a report of weekly events and operational concerns from June 24 to July 1 while the officer worked as a trooper-medic. The e-mail was first reported by the Houston Chronicle on Monday.
In one seven-hour period late last month, according to the e-mail, two medics from the state Department of Public Safety said they treated:
- A 4-year-old girl passed out in 100-degree heat after Texas (National) Guard personnel pushed the group she was in back towards Mexico
- A man with a significant laceration on his leg, suffered when he tried to rescue his child from razor wire placed on a deterrence buoy in the Rio Grande
- A 15-year-old boy with a broken leg, suffered when he tried to cross a more dangerous part of the river away from the buoys
- A 19-year-old woman trapped in the wire having a miscarriage
The very next day, according to the e-mail, the troopers got reports of a mother and two children trying to cross the river in an area without wire. The woman and one child were grabbed after being underwater for about a minute. Both were pronounced dead at hospital. The body of the other child was recovered later.
On another shift, the medics said they found about 120 people camping out – including nursing babies and other young children – exhausted, hungry and tired after a day when the temperature reached 108 degrees in the shade. The medics questioned an order to push them back to the river toward Mexico as they thought it was "not the correct thing to do" and one that could have led to a risk of drowning. They were told to leave the area, the trooper wrote in the e-mail.
The trooper medics contacted their superiors while on duty and again in writing, calling for changes to the latest Operation Lone Star policies brought in by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
"I believe we a have stepped over a line into the in humane [sic]. We need to operate it correctly in the eyes of God," the trooper said. "We need to operate it correctly in the eyes of God. We need to recognize that these are people who are made in the image of God and need to be treated as such."
In the e-mail, the trooper also voices concerns over the casualty wire.
"The casualty wire needs to provide protection to the state and provide a safe means of travel on solid land to proper collection points. The wire also needs to be manned and patrolled constantly to provide security for these families who are seeking refuge. The wire on the shore needs to be lighted at night so people can see the wire and not stumble into it as a trap. The wire and barrels in the river needs to be taken out as this is nothing but a in humane [sic] trap in high water and low visibility," the trooper writes.
In a separate e-mail, also shared by DPS, South Texas DPS Director Victor Escalon writes to agency officials saying troopers should open the wire to help when necessary.
"As we enforce State law, we may need to open the wire to aid individuals in medical distress, maintain the peace, and/or to make an arrest for criminal trespass, criminal mischief, acts of violence, or other State crimes," Escalon said.
Escalon also noted in the e-mail that troopers should "continue messaging to the migrants via personnel verbal commands, LRADS (long-range acoustic devices), and signage, about the dangers of crossing the Rio Grande into the United States," and "remind migrants to turn themselves into the ports of entry on the Mexican side."
"Our DPS medical unit is assigned to this operation to address medical concerns for everyone involved. As we enforce State law, we may need to aid those in medical distress and provide water as necessary," Escalon said.
He added that the department is in "close communication with Mexican Federal Immigration, state police, media, and NGOs across the river in Mexico to help with messaging to stop and stem the flow of migrants."
This message also included an e-mail from DPS Director Steven McCraw with photo attachments of injuries sustained by wires along the Rio Grande River. There were seven incidents where migrants needed medical attention, according to the e-mail.
"The purpose of the wire is to deter smuggling between the ports of entry and not to injure migrants," McCraw wrote.
In recent years, migrants have resorted to increasingly risky – and often fatal – paths to evade detection and enter the US. Immigrant rights advocates point to policies that have made it more difficult for migrants to seek refuge in the US, CNN previously reported.
Last year was the deadliest year so far for migrants crossing the US-Mexico border, with at least 748 people dying at the border, CNN has reported.
Texas has recently been involved in a lawsuit over deploying floating barriers on the Rio Grande River to deter migrant crossings along the border.
DPS spokesman Travis Considine was not able to confirm or comment on any of the accounts detailed in the email.
When asked about troopers being told to push migrants back into the water or deny water, Considine told CNN the Office of the Inspector General is investigating the incident.
"Troopers give migrants water. They treat their wounds. They save them from drowning. They also do everything possible to deter them from risking their lives in the first place," Considine said in a tweet Monday evening.
The governor's office issued a joint statement along with Texas Border Czar Mike Banks, Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Director Steve McCraw, and Texas Adjutant General Major General Thomas Suelzer following reporting on directives given under Operation Lone Star:
"No orders or directions have been given under Operation Lone Star that would compromise the lives of those attempting to cross the border illegally. The Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas Military Department continue taking steps to monitor migrants in distress, provide appropriate medical attention when needed, and encourage them to use one of the 29 international bridges along the Texas-Mexico Border where they can safely and legally cross. With migrants from over 150 countries encouraged by open border policies to risk their lives and make this dangerous trek to enter our country illegally, Texas is deploying every tool and strategy to deter and repel illegal crossings between ports of entry. The absence of these tools and strategies—including concertina wire that snags clothing—encourages migrants to make potentially life-threatening and illegal crossings. Through Operation Lone Star, Texas continues stepping up to respond to the unprecedented humanitarian crisis at our southern border."
In an emailed press released, they continued to state that all personnel assigned to Operation Lone Star are "prepared to detect and respond to any individuals who may need water or medical attention."
"Operation Lone Star agency partners use verbal warnings and signage to direct migrants attempting to illegally cross from Mexico into Texas to use ports of entry to protect the lives of migrants, DPS troopers, and Texas National Guard soldiers. Until President Biden reverses his open border policies and does his job to secure the border, Texas will continue protecting Texans and Americans from the chaos along the border."
CNN has also reached out to the Texas National Guard for a comment.