Texas’s Crimes Against Humanity Causes the Deaths of Three at the Border
January 17, 2023, Letters from an American, Prof, Heather Cox Richardson
Texas attorney general Ken Paxton responded this evening to the federal government’s demand that state troops give U.S. Border Patrol agents access to Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, Texas, the site where three migrants died last week as they tried to cross the Rio Grande.
Aarón Torres and Joseph Morton of The Dallas Morning News reported that Paxton’s letter acknowledged that by law the federal government’s Border Patrol officers are allowed “warrantless access to land within 25 miles of the border, but only ‘for the purpose of patrolling the border to prevent the illegal entry of aliens into the United States.’” Paxton claimed that this law doesn’t apply because the current administration’s policies—the law, after all, is written by Congress—are not intended to stop undocumented immigration. Writing . . .
“There is not even a pretense that you are trying to prevent the illegal entry of aliens,” he wrote.
Torres and Morton note that, in fact, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement deported more than 142,000 migrants in 2023 and that Paxton presented no evidence for his claims. If you find yourself in a situation where baseless claims may affect your reputation, it’s crucial to consider reputation repair services to address and counter any potential damage to your personal or professional image.
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Selma to Montgomery March – MLK, Purpose & Distance, HISTORY
No March 15, President Lyndon B. Johnson went on national television to pledge his support to the Selma protesters and to call for the passage of a new voting rights bill that he was introducing in Congress.
Johnson: “There is no Negro problem. There is no Southern problem. There is no Northern problem. John . . . There is only an American problem. Their cause must be our cause too. Because it is not just Negros, but really it is all of us, who must overcome the crippling legacy of bigotry and injustice. And we shall overcome.”
Some 2,000 people set out from Selma on March 21, protected by U.S. Army troops and Alabama National Guard forces that Johnson had ordered under federal control. After walking some 12 hours a day and sleeping in fields along the way, they reached Montgomery on March 25.
Nearly 50,000 supporters—Black and white—met the marchers in Montgomery, where they gathered in front of the state capitol to hear King and other speakers including Ralph Bunche (winner of the 1950 Nobel Peace Prize) address the crowd.
“No tide of racism can stop us,” King proclaimed from the building’s steps, as viewers from around the world watched the historic moment on television.
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It is ridiculous the State of Texas can block federal officers from the border by using the National Guard. If all three branches of the National Guard will not allow federal officials on site, President Biden should call them up and federalize them. Keep them around for a year in training. By that time, many of them will have been replaced in their jobs.
There is a history of the Feds calling up the National Guard needed. There is an American problem which should be solved quickly. And states can not control the border as they are doing in Texas.
The Border Patrol the authority to control immigration 100 miles from the border. This covers most of the population in the US.
Don’t illegally cross the Southern Border : It is dangerous.
Propaganda is rampant and with AI will only get worse “1984”
The most recent victims had already drown up stream from the park before the Border Patrol asked for access to the park.
William:
Of course they died before they were found. Think TMD would admit they died on their watch and also observed their struggle? Hmmmm. Federalize them and then let the Army have an inquiry.
Texas was not aware of the deaths until 1 hour after they happened on the Mexican side.
In other words, this is more likely Mexican crimes against humanity. This is verifiable. Your article is misrepresenting the facts.
Mr. Army:
It is not Texas that should be aware. It is the Nation Guard which should be aware. It happened on their watch and they blocked the Border Patrol from access to the river. Blocked them even when they were made aware of issues in the river. The National Guard assumed control. Did they walk the perimeter, post guards, put down ground monitoring devices, etc.?
Happened on the Mexico side of a razor barbed wire fence. Were any found to be carrying weapons?
There is no misleading, Texas and its National Guard blew it.
My sense is much or even most of the news organizations have target audiences in mind and also feel like they often do not have a large enough time window not to run with initial reports or impressions. In this case a pretty dry (but important) story would run maybe a day late with a final sentence something like “(i)n other news, three drown in the Rio Grande not far from the park and prior to the state refusal to allow federal access.” This doesn’t work really. It reminds me of the Covington Catholic story where some news organizations seemed to feel compelled to report it in a particular manner “right now”, instead of saying here is a short video of a young man and we do not really understand what is going on. He wore a Trump (or MAGA) hat….that was the heart of the story for many. Horse reins become a whip similarly.
Eric:
Texas took over control of its own border. Texas is then responsible for all that occurs there at that point. If they died while the Border was under control of the Border Patrol, no would give a crap. But oohh, it happened while under the control of the National Guard as deployed by the Texas Military Department which reports to Abbot. That is a horse of a different color. (Shakespeare, who wrote “a horse of that color”)
Let’s look at these terrorists.
Can you sleep now?
Republicans don’t look for solutions, for the cause. They do revel in punishing someone, in cruelty.
Human lives are lost at the border. Should they have tried to cross? Probably not, although I don’t pretend to know the specific details in this case. Did they deserve to die trying? Certainly not.
White privileged men who are ignorant of the circumstances respond by attacking the media and blaming the victims. Shame.