Confirmed: First Migrant Child Dies While in U.S. Custody on Southern Border

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The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) confirmed on Friday that a migrant child died while in U.S. custody somewhere on the U.S.-Mexico border. The COVID-era Title 42 public health order expired at midnight Friday.

“The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is deeply saddened by this tragic loss and our heart goes out to the family, with whom we are in touch,” the Department said, without revealing the whereabouts of the child’s death.

The message continued, “As is standard practice for any situation involving the death of an unaccompanied child or a serious health outcome, HHS’ Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) Division of Health for Unaccompanied Children (DHUC) is reviewing all clinical details of this case, including all inpatient health care records. A medical examiner investigation is underway.”

The HHS said it would not be releasing any further details about the deceased child, citing safety concerns.

“Due to privacy and safety reasons, ORR cannot share further information on individual cases of children who have been in our care,” the department said. “While in ORR care, children have access to health care, legal services, translation services, and mental and behavioral health counselors and are able to connect with family through a phone call in a private area at minimum of twice a week.”

Before taking office, Joe Biden blamed the Trump administration for the illegal immigrant deaths that happened under its supervision, saying, “It’s not who we are.”

“Over the last year, six children have tragically died in US custody at the border. It’s unacceptable,” Biden said in 2019. “It’s not who we are. And silence is complicity. It’s on all of us to stand up and speak out. America is a nation of immigrants. We must guarantee everyone’s treated with dignity.”

During a virtual border “briefing” with officials from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), State Department (DOS), and Department of Defense (DoD), refused to take a pre-submitted question from Fox News asking for confirmation on the child’s death while in U.S. custody.

Texas National Guard soldiers and Department of Public Safety (DPS) troopers have been deployed to the U.S.-Mexico border to “intercept and repel” illegal crossings in between ports of entry, resulting in standoffs between the law enforcement officials and the illegal aliens.

On Wednesday, Texas National Guard members installed razor wire along the Rio Grande, a popular illegal crossing area in Brownsville, Texas, and began blocking illegal aliens who were trying to pass through openings. In the days prior, illegal immigrants passed through the area in large numbers, reportedly enraging Governor Greg Abbott.

Reporting from the Mexican side of the border in Matamoros, National Security Fellow for the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) Todd Bensman filmed a “classic Mexican standoff” that went on for many hours.

Venezuelans who were repelled back to Matamoros, told Bensman that they didn’t take it personally, and understood the Texas law enforcement officers were doing their jobs and trying to protect people.

Gov. Abbott applauded Texas law enforcement officers for holding the line: “Until Biden does his job to secure the border, Texas National Guard soldiers and DPS troopers will continue to intercept and repel illegal crossings. Texas will hold the line,” Abbott said.

Bensman spoke with Fox News’ Jesse Watters Thursday night about the situation at the Texas border.

The Center for Immigration Studies posted the video below on Friday to shed more light on Biden’s border crisis.

“This is by far the worst sustained disaster that any BP agent, active or retired, has ever seen at our border,” tweeted the National Border Patrol Council (NBPC). “And one man is responsible for every single bit of it, with the worst still to come.”

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About Debra Heine

Debra Heine is a conservative Catholic mom of six and longtime political pundit. She has written for several conservative news websites over the years, including Breitbart and PJ Media.

Photo: Migrant people wait to be processed by the Border Patrol of El Paso Sector, Texas, after crossing from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico on May 11, 2023. A surge of migrants is expected at the US-Mexico border cities as President Biden administration is officially ending its use of Title 42. On May 11, President Joe Biden's administration will lift Title 42, the strict protocol implemented by previous president Donald Trump to deny entry to migrants and expel asylum seekers based on the Covid pandemic emergency. (Photo by HERIKA MARTINEZ / AFP) (Photo by HERIKA MARTINEZ/AFP via Getty Images)
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