8-year-old Migrant Girl Dies in Border Patrol Custody

WASHINGTON – An eight-year-old migrant girl died while in U.S. Border Patrol custody in Harlingen Wednesday.   According to a statement from the Border Patrol, the child and her family were in custody at the Harlingen Station where she experienced a medical emergency. Emergency Medical Services were called to the station and transported her to the local hospital where she was pronounced dead. 

Consistent with CBP protocol, the Office of Professional Responsibility is conducting an investigation of the incident. The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General and the Harlingen Police Department were also notified.

Additional information will be made available in accordance with CBP’s policy regarding deaths in custody.

According to reports, the child’s death comes days after an unaccompanied Honduran 17-year-old housed at a Florida shelter died while under the care of the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement, according to a congressional notice obtained by CNN last week.

Last week, immigration officials said in a court filing that surging migration coupled with the termination of Title 42 “is overwhelming U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facilities, risking widespread health and safety risks to migrants, government employees, and the public.”

Detention facilities along the US-Mexico border surpassed capacity after a surge in migrant crossings ahead of the expiration of Title 42, a Covid-era border restriction that was lifted last week.