More Border Deaths

As others and I havemaintained for several years, the deaths along the border that have resultedfrom Operation Gatekeeper are a moral outrage that bring shame on our nation. Itwas so cold a couple weeks ago in Arizona’s deserts that undocumentedimmigrants turned themselves in to Border Patrol agents to escape the weather.

But four people weren’t so lucky.

Four immigrants attempting to cross the Arizona-Mexican border were found deadduring the weekend as temperatures plunged across the area because of alate-winter storm.

The four, all men believed to be from Mexico, likely died from hypothermia orexposure, said Gustavo Soto, a spokesman for the Border Patrol’s Tucson sector.

Soto said officials were still waiting to get a count on how many peoplesurrendered.

He said there were numerous groups of migrants, anywhere from four people to 15at a time, who walked out onto roads to flag down agents or other law officers.

Soto said most of those who surrendered had been in the desert for two or threedays and the majority didn’t know how temperatures that can reach the 70sduring the day can plunge to freezing or below freezing overnight.

Source: Arizona Republic, Mar. 14, 2006
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