20+ Migrants Have Died In August During Smuggling Attempts Into Texas, Officials Say

CBS Dallas/Fort Worth

August 30, 2021

U.S. Customs & Border Protection says more than 20 people have lost their lives during smuggling attempts in August 2021.

The agency said more than 100 migrants discovered deceased this fiscal year in the Rio Grande Valley, were on rugged ranch lands in south Texas.

Distressed migrants abandoned by smugglers are left in desolate areas when they are unable to keep up with the rest of the group. Border agents often receive phone calls from family members pleading for them to search specific areas for their loved ones after being notified the person was left behind by the foot guide. Regrettably, there are instances when loved ones find help and return with assistance only to find their loved one has succumbed to the elements. Brooks and Kennedy Counties are approximately a 70-mile hike from the border and is primarily vast, desolate ranch lands. The area is notorious for migrant deaths, especially during summer months, as smugglers attempt circumventing the checkpoint on foot. Last week alone, 10 deceased migrants were discovered on the ranch lands, according to officials.

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