US border patrol routinely sabotages water left for migrants, report says

[SummerMadness]

US border patrol routinely sabotages water left for migrants, report says

United States border patrol agents routinely vandalise containers of water and other supplies left in the Arizona desert for migrants, condemning people to die of thirst in baking temperatures, according to two humanitarian groups.

In a report published on Wednesday, the Tucson-based groups said the agents committed the alleged sabotage with impunity in an attempt to deter and punish people who illegally cross from Mexico.

Volunteers found water gallons vandalised 415 times, on average twice a week, in an 800 sq mile patch of Sonoran desert south-west of Tucson, from March 2012 to December 2015, the report said. The damage affected 3,586 gallons.

 

[tadoflamb]

I hadn't heard this one. Usually it's unknown persons vandalizing these water stations. US policy has also prevented water stations being set up along known migrant routes in Organ Pipe National Monument. Meanwhile, people have died near where those water stations were proposed to be located.

US border policy forces migrants out into the most inhospitable reaches of the desert. Vandalizing water stations in emblematic of our inhumane immigration system.

 

[Mountainmanbob]

If true this would leave our Country wide open for law suits.

Bet this is just some more
Fake News.

M-Bob

 

[Hank77]

If true this would leave our Country wide open for law suits.

Bet this is just some more
Fake News.

M-Bob

Really, you're going to defend the Obama administration against these allegations?

 

[tadoflamb]

 

[tadoflamb]

 

[Redac]

These stations are set up to facilitate people entering the country illegally. Why exactly would the government be compelled to allow that?

 

[tadoflamb]

"And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because he is a disciple—amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.”

 

[tadoflamb]

For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me,

 

[TLK Valentine]

These stations are set up to facilitate people entering the country illegally. Why exactly would the government be compelled to allow that?

Fine then -- confiscate the water. Better still, stake out the locations and actually catch people entering the country illegally. These people are usually half-dead of dehydration and heat exhaustion by the time they get there; the humane thing would be to catch them, make sure they're okay, and then load them on a truck back across the border...

 

[tadoflamb]

This article showed up in the local paper this morning. Turns out it's against BP policy to tamper with humanitarian aid.

The Border Patrol’s policy is to leave humanitarian aid untouched, said Agent Chris Sullivan, a spokesman for the agency’s Tucson Sector.

“We do not condone or support the destruction or tampering with humanitarian provisions,” Sullivan said.

Aid group: Border Patrol agents destroyed water jugs left for illegal border crossers

I agree with the aid workers. It's the BP who's destroying these water stations. It's possible that some of the vandalism is done by hikers, hunters or militia groups but the BP and humanitarian aid groups are the only ones going into these areas with any frequency.

 

[Almost there]

US border patrol routinely sabotages water left for migrants, report says

There is a word missing in the title just before the word "migrants".

"illegal"

 

[Goonie]

There is a word missing in the title just before the word "migrants".

"illegal"

Irrelevant.

 

[Almost there]

Irrelevant.

Opinions vary.

 

[Goonie]

Opinions vary.

Not if at the same time you are going to claim to be ‘pro-life’.

 

[Almost there]

Not if at the same time you are going to claim to be ‘pro-life’.

There are plenty of places to get water at legal entry points. You're applying blame in the wrong place.

In my opinion, of course.

 

[TLK Valentine]

There is a word missing in the title just before the word "migrants".

"illegal"

Another word missing: "people."

 

[essentialsaltes]

The report's conclusion that the BP is the main culprit seems to rest on pretty shaky 'statistical' grounds, but they do have some photos of BP agents messing with supplies.

 

[Almost there]

Another word missing: "people."

That word is implied.

 

[SummerMadness]

Why is there an emphasis on illegal? Is it to justify kicking over water supplies that may be useful to people affected by dehydration in the desert? As someone said, you could stake out these areas with water and detain people that may have crossed the border illegally instead of destroying water supplies that you know fully well will lead to death for lack of it.

There was a recent story about a border patrol agent that suspected a kid was smuggling drugs in a liquid container. Instead of confiscating and testing the liquid, he had him drink the liquid, which killed the kid. When your emphasis is always on the fact that the action is illegal, you seek to dehumanize people. When you're killing a kid by making him ingest drugs, that's a problem (and that's why they ended up paying that family $1 million for wrongful death). I think the saddest part in witnessing this dehumanization is this dehumanization is often carried out by self-professed Christians.