Homeland Security officials have issued a warning to migrants and their families about the dangers of relying on human smugglers for passage across the U.S.-Mexico border during the current heat wave that's engulfed South Texas for weeks.
With temperatures soaring into triple digits, the journey through the desert landscape has become increasingly hazardous, exacerbating the risks of heat exhaustion, dehydration, and death for those fleeing Mexico.
In an interview with Border Report, Mark Lippa, deputy special agent in charge, explained just how extreme the situation has become, citing further perils that migrants risk when in the hands of human smuggling cartels:
"Migrants are often found in conditions that are not worthy of humans. The message is human smuggling is very dangerous. If you or a family member are thinking of having a family member smuggled in, think again. Don't do it. You are placing your family member in the hands of someone who is not going to care for that family member. We've had cases that have wound up in abusive situation, rape or even death."
Human smugglers use various methods to cross migrants into the Rio Grande Valley, including by land, maritime routes, aviation, trains, and the backs of tractor-trailers. In 2022, 53 migrants were found dead in San Antonio after being crammed into a tractor-trailer without air conditioning, marking the deadliest recorded smuggling incident in the U.S.
Craig Larrabee, HSI Special Agent in Charge in San Antonio, also gave his two cents about smugglers' disregard for migrants' wellbeing:
"Ruthless criminals endanger the lives of migrants who are often smuggled through unpredictable terrain. Transnational criminal organizations treat migrants as commodities for financial gain, with little regard for their safety. HSI will continue to work aggressively to bring these criminals to justice."
This warning comes as a caravan of 2,000 migrants has left the southern Mexican city of Ciudad Hidalgo, next to the Guatemala border, with the goal of reaching the United States before the November elections.
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