3 Die Near Border: 2 in Rio Grande, 1 in County Known for Immigrant Deaths

Two drowning victims were pulled from the Rio Grande and another body was recovered on a ranch near the Texas-Mexico border this week.U.S. border agents near Brownsville recovered a drowning victim from the Rio Grande around 10 a.m. Tuesday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a news release.The body was pulled from the water with the help of Brownsville Fire and Rescue, and the victim was pronounced dead at the scene, officials said.Later that day, another drowning victim was recovered by Mexican authorities. U.S. Border Patrol agents apprehended a group of unauthorized immigrants, who told authorities they spotted a body while crossing the river. Agents began searching the area with an Air and Marine Operations helicopter. They were later advised that Mexican authorities had recovered the body on the Mexico side of the river.The third body was found Thursday at a ranch near Falfurrias, officials said. Border agents were contacted by the Brooks County sheriff's office at 9 p.m. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Officials did not release the names of the victims. A New York Times investigation found that more people have died illegally crossing the southwestern border of the United States in the last 16 years than were killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and Hurricane Katrina combined. The report found that more migrant bodies have been discovered than Brooks County than any other county in Texas. The bodies and remains of more than 550 undocumented migrants have been discovered in the county since January 2009, The Times reported in May. The agency encouraged the public to report suspicious activity by calling 1-800-863-9382.   Continue reading...