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.”
🚨Confirmed: A migrant child has died in U.S. custody.
HHS statement below. pic.twitter.com/z0QQiQYWYt
— Jacqui Heinrich (@JacquiHeinrich) May 12, 2023
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.
Vast majority of the millions of illegal aliens Biden is allowing into our country are not being properly vetted, for anything.
Nobody has any idea who they are, what medical conditions they have, what their records are, or what their intentions are. Period.
— Border Patrol Union – NBPC (@BPUnion) May 12, 2023
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.
Quite literally a Mexican standoff here in Matamoros looking across at Brownsville. @GregAbbott_TX national guard and DPS will not let them pass. pic.twitter.com/TzoIQQka7A
— Todd Bensman (@BensmanTodd) May 11, 2023
Looks like a looong Mexican standoff between Texas and the Biden DHS, which has been orchestrating immigrant swims in for two weeks now, according to exclusive @CIS_org reporting pic.twitter.com/yEDlNfj3jc
— Todd Bensman (@BensmanTodd) May 11, 2023
Part 1: what happens after losing a Texican Standoff…this large group swam back to Matamoros, walked several hundred yards down river and tried again pic.twitter.com/wcdMN3aKNL
— Todd Bensman (@BensmanTodd) May 12, 2023
Part II after losing a Texican Standoff: the immigrants swam back, and got mired down in this super dangerous crossing: Warning: not suitable watching for new parents pic.twitter.com/esxFGlPSYa
— Todd Bensman (@BensmanTodd) May 12, 2023
Part III of the Texican Standoff … they say the definition of insanity is to keep trying something the same way and expecting a different outcome pic.twitter.com/GHNtLZAIzM
— Todd Bensman (@BensmanTodd) May 12, 2023
Part 4 Texican Standoff: Warning! New and learning parents should not watch this video pic.twitter.com/rHQsenWre2
— Todd Bensman (@BensmanTodd) May 12, 2023
Part 6 Texican standoff: on second though, maybe new and learning parents SHOULD watch this video pic.twitter.com/8a14vkO2W1
— Todd Bensman (@BensmanTodd) May 12, 2023
I guess this will come down to who is more persistent. Another hour or two of title 42 and I’m guessing this Texican stand-off will keep on keeping on pic.twitter.com/vHJ1Ei9SfX
— Todd Bensman (@BensmanTodd) May 12, 2023
The immigrants get right up to the razor wire and Texans and then move laterally along them for hundreds of yards but don’t get in. Border Patrol is completely absent from all this here at the matamoros- Brownsville crossing areas pic.twitter.com/zvNnJzqaKY
— Todd Bensman (@BensmanTodd) May 12, 2023
The Texans shout out scripted lines when the immigrants start hitting the water. “It’s dangerous” … “stop! “Turn back right now and go to a port of entry” “it’s dangerous to take your kids into the river” The Texican Standoff! pic.twitter.com/60GWTRYbwP
— Todd Bensman (@BensmanTodd) May 12, 2023
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.
What some Venezuelans in Matamoros think of their new Texas National Guard and @txdps adversaries who now block, stop and deter at the razor wired riverbank line, ordered by @GregAbbott_TX pic.twitter.com/hxbVLlNHrH
— Todd Bensman (@BensmanTodd) May 12, 2023
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.
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. pic.twitter.com/ANg7gX3V7i
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) May 12, 2023
The Center for Immigration Studies posted the video below on Friday to shed more light on Biden’s border crisis.
.@BensmanTodd embeds with local LEO and @CBP in @USBPChiefEPT's El Paso Sector.
Reports on agents overwhelmed by runners and gotaways. pic.twitter.com/DiTz7hZCDI
— Center for Immigration Studies (@CIS_org) May 12, 2023
“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.”
This is by far the worst sustained disaster that any BP agent, active or retired, has ever seen at our border.
And one man is responsible for every single bit of it, with the worst still to come. pic.twitter.com/nblMshcLph
— Border Patrol Union – NBPC (@BPUnion) May 12, 2023