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US immigration: Drowning exposes risks of illegal crossing | US immigration: Drowning exposes risks of illegal crossing |
(about 4 hours later) | |
El Salvador's government has warned people against risking their lives to reach the US after a man and his baby daughter drowned in the Rio Grande. | El Salvador's government has warned people against risking their lives to reach the US after a man and his baby daughter drowned in the Rio Grande. |
Photos of their bodies, found face down in shallow water with the 23-month-old girl's arm around her father's neck, have sparked condemnation. | Photos of their bodies, found face down in shallow water with the 23-month-old girl's arm around her father's neck, have sparked condemnation. |
It comes as the US and Mexico implement tougher policies to stem the flow of undocumented migrants, mostly from Central America, travelling north. | It comes as the US and Mexico implement tougher policies to stem the flow of undocumented migrants, mostly from Central America, travelling north. |
At least six have died in recent days. | At least six have died in recent days. |
Warning: This article contains a distressing image | Warning: This article contains a distressing image |
Many of the migrants say they are fleeing violence and poverty in Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador, and plan to seek asylum in the US. | Many of the migrants say they are fleeing violence and poverty in Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador, and plan to seek asylum in the US. |
Critics of President Donald Trump's tougher stance on immigration say his approach is driving migrants to take more dangerous routes. | Critics of President Donald Trump's tougher stance on immigration say his approach is driving migrants to take more dangerous routes. |
At least 283 migrants died on the US-Mexico border in 2018, according to US Border Patrol, but human rights activists say the number is likely to be higher. | At least 283 migrants died on the US-Mexico border in 2018, according to US Border Patrol, but human rights activists say the number is likely to be higher. |
Óscar Alberto Martínez Ramírez, 25, and his daughter Valeria drowned on Sunday while trying to cross from Matamoros, in the northern Mexican state of Tamaulipas, into Texas. | Óscar Alberto Martínez Ramírez, 25, and his daughter Valeria drowned on Sunday while trying to cross from Matamoros, in the northern Mexican state of Tamaulipas, into Texas. |
The image, which surfaced on Monday, was captured by journalist Julia Le Duc and published by Mexican newspaper La Jornada. | The image, which surfaced on Monday, was captured by journalist Julia Le Duc and published by Mexican newspaper La Jornada. |
His wife and the daughter's mother, Tania Vanessa Ávalos, 21, said they had been living in Mexico for two months on a humanitarian visa, AP news agency reports. | His wife and the daughter's mother, Tania Vanessa Ávalos, 21, said they had been living in Mexico for two months on a humanitarian visa, AP news agency reports. |
Frustrated after being unable to present themselves to US officials and seek asylum, they had decided to cross the river. | Frustrated after being unable to present themselves to US officials and seek asylum, they had decided to cross the river. |
Mr Ramírez managed to get across with their daughter and set her down on the bank, then began returning for his wife, she told Mexican police. | Mr Ramírez managed to get across with their daughter and set her down on the bank, then began returning for his wife, she told Mexican police. |
But alone on the riverbank, Valeria panicked and jumped in after her father. He made it back to her but both were swept away by the river's dangerous currents. | But alone on the riverbank, Valeria panicked and jumped in after her father. He made it back to her but both were swept away by the river's dangerous currents. |
"I begged them not to go, but he wanted to scrape together money to build a home," Rosa Ramírez, Óscar's mother, told AP. | "I begged them not to go, but he wanted to scrape together money to build a home," Rosa Ramírez, Óscar's mother, told AP. |
What has the reaction been? | What has the reaction been? |
El Salvador's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alexandra Hill, has called on citizens to stop putting their lives at risk by trying to migrate illegally. | El Salvador's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alexandra Hill, has called on citizens to stop putting their lives at risk by trying to migrate illegally. |
The government said it would cover the expenses needed to bring back the two bodies and would provide "necessary support" to their relatives. | The government said it would cover the expenses needed to bring back the two bodies and would provide "necessary support" to their relatives. |
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador also warned against making the perilous border journey, describing the deaths as "very regrettable". | Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador also warned against making the perilous border journey, describing the deaths as "very regrettable". |
"People are losing their lives, in the desert or crossing the Rio Grande, we've always condemned it and we don't want it." | "People are losing their lives, in the desert or crossing the Rio Grande, we've always condemned it and we don't want it." |
In a statement, the Vatican said Pope Francis had seen the pictures, adding: "The Pope is profoundly saddened by their death, and is praying for them and for all migrants who have lost their lives while seeking to flee war and misery." | |
The picture has also drawn comparisons to the photo of young Syrian boy Alan Kurdi, who became a symbol of the human cost of the war in Syria. | The picture has also drawn comparisons to the photo of young Syrian boy Alan Kurdi, who became a symbol of the human cost of the war in Syria. |
Earlier this month, Mexico reached a deal with the Trump administration to try to stem the flow of undocumented migrants travelling to the US. Since then, deportations and detentions of undocumented migrants have reportedly increased. | Earlier this month, Mexico reached a deal with the Trump administration to try to stem the flow of undocumented migrants travelling to the US. Since then, deportations and detentions of undocumented migrants have reportedly increased. |
Meanwhile, Democrats in the US House of Representatives approved $4.5bn (£3.5bn) in humanitarian aid for the US-Mexico border. The bill, however, faces a tough path through the Republican-controlled Senate. | Meanwhile, Democrats in the US House of Representatives approved $4.5bn (£3.5bn) in humanitarian aid for the US-Mexico border. The bill, however, faces a tough path through the Republican-controlled Senate. |
In February, Mr Trump declared an emergency on the country's southern border, saying it was necessary to tackle what he said was a crisis there. | In February, Mr Trump declared an emergency on the country's southern border, saying it was necessary to tackle what he said was a crisis there. |