🌊 "Drownings Spike Along San Diego Coastline After Border Wall Height Increase, UCSD Study Finds"
The Border Center shares a summary of the main news of the border
Migrant drownings along the San Diego coastline spiked
San Diego Union Tribune’s Alexandra Mendoza and Teri Figueroa.- A UC San Diego study revealed a significant rise in migrant drowning deaths along the San Diego County coastline following the installation of taller border walls. Between 2020 and 2023, after the U.S. replaced sections of the U.S.-Mexico border wall with a mostly 30-foot bollard-style fence, there were 33 reported drowning deaths compared to just one in the previous four years. This increase coincides with a noted rise in maritime smuggling attempts and border wall-related injuries and fatalities. The study, which utilized data from the Missing Migrants Project and analyzed emergency healthcare responses, suggests the heightened barrier may be driving more migrants to riskier sea crossings, resulting in more drownings. The research aims to inform emergency services and healthcare providers, highlighting the need for increased awareness and preparedness for this emergent public health issue.
🚁 "Routine Mission Turns Tragic: Helicopter Crash in Texas Claims Lives of 2 National Guard Soldiers and Border Agent"
The New York Times’s Adeel Hassan, Carol Rosenberg and John Yoon.- In a sad event that underscores the risks faced by those securing the nation's borders, a helicopter crash in southern Texas during a routine mission resulted in the deaths of two National Guard soldiers and a Border Patrol agent. The incident, which occurred near Rio Grande City on a Friday afternoon, also left another National Guard soldier seriously injured. The UH-72 Lakota helicopter was engaged in border monitoring activities for the U.S. Defense Department, supporting Customs and Border Protection efforts. The crash, happening in an open field while tracking illegal border crossings, is now under investigation by the Army's Combat Readiness Center.
Eight Injured in Border Wall Fall
San Diego Union-Tribune’s Teri Figueroa.- A recent incident near Monument Road and Hollister Street in the Tijuana River Valley resulted in eight individuals being injured after falling from the U.S.-Mexico border wall. San Diego Fire-Rescue Department responded to the scene around 12:50 a.m., following a request from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Among those injured, two suffered severe injuries, while the others faced minor injuries. This event follows closely after another incident on March 2, where eleven people were injured in a similar fall, and a fatal fall occurred west of the Otay Mesa Port of Entry less than two weeks prior.
🌍 Humanitarian Asylum Program Survives States' Challenge, Federal Judge Upholds Entry for Migrants from Four Countries
The Associated Press’s Eric Gay.- A federal judge in Texas dismissed a lawsuit from Republican-led states challenging a Biden administration program that allows a certain number of migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to enter the U.S. on humanitarian grounds. U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton ruled that the states failed to demonstrate financial harm caused by the humanitarian parole program, which admits up to 30,000 asylum seekers each month from the specified countries. The program aims to offer lawful pathways while reducing unauthorized border crossings. The White House hailed the ruling, emphasizing the program's role in addressing labor shortages and enhancing border management. Despite the legal challenge, over 357,000 individuals have benefited from the program, with Haitians being the largest group. The decision underscores the administration's use of parole authority for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit, marking an important victory for immigration advocates and the migrants they serve.