McALLEN, Texas (Border Report) — A woman and two small children drowned Friday night while trying to cross the Rio Grande into Eagle Pass, Texas, and a South Texas congressman told Border Report that state officials denied federal agents access to the river to help.
U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, said the woman and the children were caught in the river currents but Border Patrol agents were unable to reach them or help them after Texas Department of Public Safety troopers blocked access to Shelby Park earlier this week.
Mexican officials found their bodies on Saturday, Cuellar said.
“This is a tragedy, and the state bears responsibility,” Cuellar said. “Border Patrol was unable to render aid to the migrants and attempt to save them.”
Cuellar said that around 9 p.m. on Friday, Border Patrol agents learned that a group of six migrants were in distress as they attempted to cross the Rio Grande.
“Border Patrol attempted to contact the Texas Military Department, the Texas National Guard, and DPS Command Post by telephone to relay the information, but were unsuccessful. Border Patrol agents then made physical contact with the Texas Military Department and the Texas National Guard at the Shelby Park entrance gate and verbally related the information. However, Texas Military Department soldiers stated they would not grant access to the migrants — even in the event of an emergency — and that they would send a soldier to investigate the situation. Earlier today, Saturday, Jan. 13, the three migrant bodies were recovered by Mexican authorities,” he said.
Cuellar is ranking member of the House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, the congressional committee that oversees the budget and funding for the Department of Homeland Security. As such he is privy to information on border security. He also maintains regular communications with Mexican officials and those in the South Texas border region.
On Wednesday, state officials — under the order of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott — sealed off Shelby Park, which has become the command center in the area for the state’s Operation Lone Star border security initiative.
Texas DPS troopers are seen Oct. 24, 2023, at the boat ramp at Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, Texas. The State of Texas has taken over the park and is denying federal law enforcement, such as Border Patrol access. (Sandra Sanchez/Border Report File Photo)
On Friday, the Justice Department asked the U.S. Supreme Court to order Texas to stop blocking access to the park, which is a boat launching area for Eagle Pass residents and officials, and is located directly across from a park in Piedras Negras, Mexico, where many migrants launch themselves into the river to try to get across to the United States.
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When asked why Texas is not allowing access to the park, Abbott’s spokeswoman Renae Eze issued the following statement: “Texas is holding the line at our southern border with miles of additional razor wire and anti-climb barriers to deter and repel the record-high levels of illegal immigration invited by President Biden’s reckless open border policies. Instead of enforcing federal immigration laws, the Biden administration allows unfettered access for Mexican cartels to smuggle people into our country. Texas will continue to deploy Texas National Guard soldiers, DPS troopers, and more barriers, utilizing every tool and strategy to respond to President Biden’s ongoing border crisis.”
Eagle Pass Mayor Rolando Salinas said in a social media post on Wednesday evening that the city did not ask for the public park to be taken over by the state.
This is the same 50-acre park that in June, Salinas had willingly turned over control to the state, but that order was revoked after public outcry and criticism from other leaders in the city council.
In a statement to Border Report on Saturday, the Texas Military Department said the Texas National Guard has maintained a presence with security points and temporary barrier in Shelby Park since 2021.
“The current posture is to prepare for future illegal immigrant surges and to restrict access to organizations that perpetuate illegal immigrant crossings in the park and greater Eagle Pass area,” the Department said.
A vigil, for which organizers had received a city permit, had been planned on Saturday afternoon at Shelby Park. The Eagle Pass Border Vigil Coalition put up 700 wooden crosses to commemorate migrants who died in 2023 trying to cross the border from Mexico.
The Texas Military Department said the local community will be able to enter and access the park.
Members of the coalition told Border Report that they were already at the site on Saturday afternoon. They blame to state’s decision to block the park for Friday night’s drownings.
“I believe the deaths that occurred on Friday were a direct result of actions to close Shelby Park and bar Customs and Border Patrol from Shelby Park and using the Shelby Park boat ramp,” said Amerika Garcia Grewal, of the Eagle Pass Border Vigil Coalition.
Sandra Sanchez can be reached at SSanchez@BorderReport.com.
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