Texas to Revisit Issue of ID’ing Migrants’ Remains Near Border

*This is somber stuff, but it’s important. There are thousands of families that have no idea of what happened to their loved ones who made the trek north in look for work. This may bring them peace of mind. VL


By Julián Aguilar, Texas Tribune (4 minute read)

The state’s forensic science oversight panel will convene in Austin on Wednesday to give the public a progress report on an emotional and macabre issue that is tied directly to the hot-button issue of illegal immigration.

On the agenda for the nine-member Forensic Science Commission is a discussion about the state’s effort to improve “the collection and preservation of biological and other forensic evidence for identification of remains found within 120 miles” of the Rio Grande. The discussion comes amid concerns that the bodies of undocumented immigrants are buried without their families in foreign countries being notified that their loved ones have died.

Read more NewsTaco stories on Facebook. >> 

Since 2010, the remains of hundreds of bodies have been found in counties that are on, or near, the Texas-Mexico border. The bodies are believed to be those of undocumented immigrants who have died in the border region’s unforgiving terrain. The migrants often get lost or are abandoned by their smugglers while attempting to circumvent U.S. Border Patrol checkpoints. READ MORE


[Photo courtesy of The Texas Tribune]

Subscribe today!

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Must Read