Volunteers in Arizona have taken it upon themselves to distribute water and essential supplies in the desert along the US-Mexico border. This area has tragically witnessed the loss of at least 90 lives in the state of Arizona alone this year.
“We are prepared with supplies such as water, cans of food, and hats to protect against the sun,” shared Luis Osuna, a dedicated volunteer. Luis Osuna, who works with Border Kindness, mentioned to AZFamily, a local news site.
“Our primary goal in every action we take is to prevent even a single loss of life. We understand the immense impact that a single death can have on a family, on children who are left without a loved one.”
Numerous migrants have lost their lives while attempting to cross the US-Mexico border this year. This tragic reality persists despite a decline in border crossings in recent months due to an executive order implemented by the Biden administration. The order temporarily suspends asylum during periods of high entry.
The number of fatalities in the Arizona desert has reached at least 90, highlighting the dangerous conditions migrants face while crossing the border. Furthermore, the remains of 140 individuals have been discovered in the El Paso border sector, surpassing the total number found in the region during fiscal year 2023. This serves as a grim reminder of the perilous journey undertaken by those seeking a better life.
Border agents have been caught on camera destroying water caches that were left for migrants, in an effort to prevent the annual wave of heat-related deaths at the border.
According to reports, the practice of violating Border Patrol rules has continued until at least 2023.
Human rights advocates contend that the practice of deterrence, which involves implementing strategies like border walls, asylum crackdowns, and militarized security to discourage migrants from crossing, tends to push desperate border crossers towards isolated desert regions. In such areas, they are susceptible to hazardous conditions, including scorching temperatures that can reach up to triple digits.
“The sheer number of deaths is truly alarming, but it’s crucial to remember that behind each tragic loss lies a human being with loved ones and a community that will forever mourn their absence,” emphasized Ari Sawyer, a US border researcher at Human Rights Watch. In a recent report, Sawyer called on the US government to put an end to its dangerous border deterrence policies and instead implement measures that prioritize the preservation of human life.”
According to a report by The Independent, the US government has officially embraced a strategy known as “prevention through deterrence” since the mid-1990s.
According to Human Rights Watch, over 10,000 individuals have lost their lives at the border since then. However, the actual number could be up to eight times higher due to the challenges of accurately studying the issue along the vast US-Mexico frontier.
States like Texas have taken proactive measures to secure their borders by implementing various strategies, such as installing floating barriers and razor wire along popular border crossings.
