Local migrant advocates react to recent death of unaccompanied migrant in El Paso
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- On Tuesday, the Border Network for Human Rights reported an unaccompanied migrant girl from Guatemala died in U.S. custody after crossing the U.S./Mexico border in May.
According to the reports, the 15-year-old migrant had a pre-existing medical condition.
In a statement, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) confirmed the girl's death.
"Our heart goes out to the family at this difficult time," the department said. "(The Office of Refugee Resettlement) is working with them to provide comfort and assist with arrangements as appropriate, they added."
"The Border Network for Human Rights is outraged by the news of the death of another child while in U.S. custody," Fernando Garcia, Executive Director of the Border Network of Human Rights, stated. "Our country’s leadership has failed once again to recognize the humanity of migrants, causing irreparable loss in the U.S.-Mexico border. These incidents are not isolated issues but are part of an aggravated systemic failure that disregards the rights and well-being of refugees and migrants. This, combined with the lack of accountability and oversight within agencies such as Border Patrol... obscures the problems facing migrants until it is too late."
On Sunday, El Paso Bishop Mark J. Seitz also tweeted his concerns about another immigrant who likely died in his effort to find a place as a refugee in the U.S.
The Guatemalan teen's death marks the fourth death of an unaccompanied migrant child under U.S. custody this year.
ABC-7 reached out to the El Paso Diocese to speak with Bishop Seitz, but the diocese says he is currently out of town.
