Denouncing the humanitarian crisis on the US-Mexico border

Text: Cuba 360 . Newsroom

Photo: Alexandre Mengini | Reuters

After nine migrants drowned while trying to cross the Rio Grande, activists and leaders denounced a humanitarian crisis on the US-Mexico border. Almost a month after the “Stay in Mexico” program was declared over, a binational crisis erupted in this region on the border between Ciudad Juarez and El Paso.

Shelters chiefs and other people involved in assisting migrants deplore that these facilities are saturated and that a climate of uncertainty persists for migrants. “Immigration will always be present, in this shelter there are 51 migrants from Honduras and Mexico. We are doing expansion work, so that there is a capacity of 200 to 250 people,” said Reverend Juan Fierro, director of the Pan de Vida shelter in Ciudad Juárez, citing Infobay. “.

They also denounced that the Mexican border is suffering from the effects of more restrictive policies implemented by Texas Governor Greg Abbott.

Last Thursday, nine migrants died at the Rio Grande crossing, after a large group of migrants tried to cross the river during these heavy rainy days. So far, US border guards have recovered six of the nine bodies, and Mexicans have found three. The deceased’s nationality or age is unknown.

US authorities also rescued 37 migrants who were in the river. Those 37 and others were arrested for trying to reach the United States infrequently, while another 39 people who were part of the group were arrested on the Mexican side of the border.

A spokesman for the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) indicated that the migrants were trying to reach the United States through the Rio Grande region closest to Eagle Pass (Texas). The sector that CBP calls “Del Río” and which has become one of the points with the highest number of crossings per year.

So far this fiscal year, the period that ends at the end of September, more than 376,100 migrants have been detained in that region, nearly ten times more than in 2020. Figures show that half of the arrested migrants and refugees come from Cuba and Venezuela. Also, in July, more than 14 thousand Venezuelans and 10 thousand Cubans were arrested in that region.