MySA
By Priscilla Aguirre
Updated July 19, 2023 7:58 p.m.

Update: 4 p.m., Tuesday, July 18:

The Office of Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a joint statement with Texas officials regarding the report of troopers being ordered to push children and nursing babies back into the Rio Grande. The Houston Chronicle reported about the "inhumane order on Monday, July 17, while the statement was issued around 4 p.m. on Tuesday, July 18. 

A Department of Public Safety trooper told the Houston Chronicle there have been unreported incidents they have witnessed in Eagle Pass. The trooper explained how a pregnant woman having a miscarriage was found late last month caught in the wire at the border. The trooper also revealed they are told not to give water to asylum seekers.

In the statement, Abbott, Texas Border Czar Mike Banks, Texas DPS Director Steve McCraw, and Texas Adjutant General Major General Thomas Suelzer said, "No orders or directions have been given under Operation Lone Star that would compromise the lives of those attempting to cross the border illegally."

Officials said they are continuing to take steps to monitor migrants in distress, provide appropriate medical attention when needed, and encourage them to use one of the 29 international bridges along the Texas-Mexico Border. The statement revealed the concertina wire that snags clothing is a tool used to "deter and repel illegal crossings between ports of entry."

The statement also said personnel assigned to Operation Lone Star respond to any individuals who may need water or medical attention.

"Until President Biden reverses his open border policies and does his job to secure the border, Texas will continue protecting Texans and Americans from the chaos along the border," the statement said.

The Office of the Inspector General is investigating the recently reported claims, according to the Texas Tribune. 

Update: 3 p.m., Tuesday, July 18:

The Office of the Inspector General is investigating the claims that troopers are being ordered to push children and nursing babies back into the Rio Grande, according to the Texas Tribune. The Houston Chronicle reported about the "inhumane" order on Monday, July 17, revealing troopers are also reportedly told not to give water to asylum seekers. 

On Tuesday, July 18, Travis Considine, a DPS spokesperson, told the Texas Tribune that the officials are investigating claims of misconduct by state employees. Considine said there's no directive or policy that instructs troopers to withhold water from migrants or push them back into the river. 

Original story:

Texas leaders are condemning Governor Greg Abbott after learning troopers are ordered to push children and nursing babies back into the Rio Grande. The Houston Chronicle revealed the "inhumane" order on Monday, July 17, reporting that troopers are also told not to give water to asylum seekers even in extreme heat.

A Department of Public Safety trooper told the Houston Chronicle there have been unreported incidents they have witnessed in Eagle Pass. The trooper explained how a pregnant woman having a miscarriage was found late last month caught in the wire at the border.

Other incidents included a 4-year-old girl who passed out from heat exhaustion and was pushed back by Texas National Guard soldiers, as well as a teenager who broke his leg trying to navigate the water around the wire and had to be carried by his father.

Many leaders read and tweeted about the report from the Houston Chronicle, calling out Abbott's actions on the border. Texas Representative Veronica Escobar (D-TX 16th District) said Abbott is an "absolute monster with no regard for the lives of vulnerable children and mothers."

Former San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro wrote how Abbott has made his career by "persecuting people seeking a better life in America." He added, "This is awful. Exactly how much cruelty is enough?"

"There are no words to convey how barbaric and inhumane this all is," Texas Representative Greg Casar (D-TX 35th District) tweeted.