8-year-old lady dies in Border Patrol custody in Harlingen, Texas, as company seeks to ease crowding

HARLINGEN, Texas — An 8-year-old lady died Wednesday in Border Patrol custody, authorities stated, a uncommon incidence that comes because the company struggles with overcrowding.

The kid and her household had been being held at a station in Harlingen, Texas, in Rio Grande Valley, one of many busiest corridors for unlawful crossings, U.S. Customs and Border Safety, the Border Patrol’s mother or father company, stated in an announcement.

The lady skilled “a medical emergency” and was taken to a close-by hospital, the place she died, in keeping with the assertion, which didn’t disclose her nationality or present extra details about the incident.

Customs and Border Safety’s inner affairs workplace will examine, and the Homeland Safety Division’s inspector common and Harlingen police have been notified, Miller stated. Sgt. Larry Moore, a spokesman for the Harlingen Police Division, stated he had no details about the loss of life.

The Border Patrol had 28,717 individuals in custody on Could 10, the day earlier than pandemic-related asylum restrictions expired, which was double from two weeks earlier, in keeping with a courtroom submitting. By Sunday, the quantity had dropped 23% to 22,259, nonetheless unusually excessive.

The typical time in custody on Sunday was 77 hours, 5 hours greater than the utmost allowed beneath company coverage.

Final week, the Border Patrol started releasing migrants within the U.S. with out notices to seem in immigration courtroom, as a substitute directing them to report back to an immigration workplace inside 60 days. The transfer spares Border Patrol brokers time-consuming processing duties, permitting them to open house in holding amenities. A federal choose in Florida ordered an finish to the fast releases.

Additionally final week, a 17-year-old Honduran boy touring alone died in U.S. Well being and Human Companies Division custody.