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A28 U.S. NEWS
Dialuna 5 September 2022

Border patrol: 9 migrants die crossing swift Texas river

(AP) - Officials on both young children. About six of
sides of the U.S.-Mexico 10 stops in the Del Rio sector
border searched for more in July were migrants from
victims Saturday after at Venezuela, Cuba or Nicara-
least nine migrants died gua. The region also has been
while trying to cross the a popular crossing point for
rain-swollen Rio Grande, migrants from Haiti, thou-
a dangerous border-cross- sands of whom have been
ing attempt in an area stuck in border towns since
where the river level had 2016, when the Obama ad-
risen by more than 2 feet ministration abruptly halted
in a single day. a policy that initially allowed
them in on humanitarian
U.S. Customs and Border grounds.
Protection and Mexican of-
ficials discovered the vic- The sector, which extends
tims near Eagle Pass, Texas, 245 miles (395 kilometers)
on Thursday, following days along the Río Grande, has
of heavy rains. U.S. officials been especially dangerous
recovered six bodies, while because river currents can be
Mexican teams recovered deceptively fast and change
three, according to a CBP quickly. Crossing the river
statement. It is one of the can be challenging even for
deadliest drownings on the strong swimmers.
U.S.-Mexico border in re- operations. Local agencies in Grande Valley a distant sec- grants in recent years is that In a news release last month,
cent history. Texas that were involved have ond at about 35,000. Eagle it is not as strongly controlled CBP said it had discovered
not responded to requests for Pass is about 140 miles (225 by cartels and is perceived bodies of more than 200 dead
The river, which was a little information. kilometers) southwest of San to be somewhat safer, said migrants in the sector from
more than 3 feet (90 centi- Antonio. Stephanie Leutert, director of October through July.
meters) deep at the start of Among the bodies recovered Central America and Mexico
the week, reached more than from the river by Mexican Chief Patrol Agent Jason Policy Initiative at the Uni- This year is on track to break
5 feet (1.5 meters) on Thurs- authorities was a man and a Owens of the Del Rio sector versity of Texas’ Center for last year’s record for the most
day, and the water was flow- pregnant woman, although said that despite dangerous International Security and deaths on the U.S.-Mexico
ing five times faster than usu- their nationalities were un- currents from recent rainfall, Law. border since 2014, when the
al, according to the National known, said Francisco Con- Border Patrol agents in the U.N. International Organi-
Weather Service. treras, a member of Civil sector continue to encounter “It might be a different price. zation for Migration began
Protection in the Mexican groups as large as 100 or 200 It might be seen as safer. It keeping record. The organi-
The CBP said U.S. crews border state of Coahuila. No people trying to cross the Rio might keep you out of cities zation has tallied more than
rescued 37 others from the details were released about Grande each day. that are notoriously danger- 4,000 deaths on the border
river and detained 16 more, the third body found. ous,” Leutert said. “Those since 2014, based on news
while Mexican officials took “In an effort to prevent fur- cities (in the Del Rio sector) reports and other sources, in-
39 migrants into custody. The Border Patrol’s Del Rio ther loss of life, we are ask- definitely have had a reputa- cluding 728 last year and 412
sector, which includes Eagle ing everyone to please avoid tion as being safer than say, during the first seven months
CBP did not say what coun- Pass, is fast becoming the crossing illegally,” Owens Nuevo Laredo.” of this year, often from de-
try or countries the migrants busiest corridor for illegal said in a statement. hydration or drowning. June
were from and did not pro- crossings. Agents stopped The area draws migrants was the fourth-deadliest
vide any additional informa- migrants nearly 50,000 times Among the reasons the area from dozens of countries, month on record, with 138
tion on rescue and search in the sector in July, with Rio has become popular for mi- many of them families with fatalities.

New congressional maps dilute Black power, critics say

(AP) — When Press Rob- Robinson, then a college poll taxes to the infamous Yet, nearly 60 years later, Rob- old Robinson said. “I’m also
inson registered to vote in sophomore, wasn’t surprised. “jellybean test” that required inson and civil rights activ- a little afraid, because I don’t
South Carolina in 1963, he He heard stories from others prospective voters to guess ists say those gains are being know where all this is head-
was handed a copy of the in the South’s Black commu- how many of the small can- eroded. In Alabama, Florida ing.”
U.S. Constitution and told nity who faced Jim Crow-era dies were in a jar. and Louisiana, new congres-
to read it aloud and inter- methods to suppress Black sional maps that some judges Every 10 years, state lawmak-
pret it. votes – from literacy tests to As Robinson began reading, have ruled dilute the power ers, armed with new U.S.
he thought about the woman of Black voters are being used Census Bureau information,
behind him who was also in upcoming elections. redraw political maps for
registering to vote for the first seats in the U.S. House, state
time: his 43-year-old mother, Civil rights leaders worry the Senate and state House. It is
who had never fulfilled her maps could diminish minor- typically an extraordinarily
constitutional right, partly ity representation on Capitol partisan process, with each
out of fear that she would en- Hill. The issue is especially major party trying to scoop
counter this exact situation. contentious this year, when up enough of its voters to
Democrats — traditionally guarantee wins in the larg-
In 1965, the Voting Rights favored by minority voters est number of districts. The
Act outlawed the discrimina- — are fighting to hang on boundaries determine which
tory voting practices of many to slim majorities in Con- political parties will make de-
states in the South, where gress in midterms that tend cisions that have a profound
Jim Crow laws also restricted to reward the party not in the impact on people’s lives, such
how and where Black peo- White House. as abortion, gun control and
ple could live, work, eat and how billions of tax dollars are
study. “I’m hurt. I’m shocked. I’m spent.
disappointed,” an 85-year-