Security forces in the Mexican desert near the U.S. border are on high alert following the discovery of a deceased 45-year, likely from heat stroke. The deceased man had been abandoned by his trafficker, who later buried him in the desert. Upon the family’s request, the trafficker disclosed the body’s location. During a search, authorities found six other migrants, one showing signs of dehydration. It is the second death from dehydration in Chihuahua state within a week. Temperatures in the area have exceeded 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).
Migrants on their journey to the United States from Latin America navigate a landscape fraught with dangers, including hazardous river crossings, aggressive wildlife, and violent criminal gangs. Now, extreme heat poses an additional threat. The Mexican government has reported 155 heat-related deaths so far, with 30 occurring in the past week alone.
The U.S. Border Patrol has documented 77 deaths in the El Paso sector, which includes parts of Texas and New Mexico, since October. The leading causes of death in the area are heat stroke, drowning, and falls from the border wall.
The death toll highlights a dark side to Joe Biden’s open border policies. His mass parole of illegal immigrants, coupled with gifting them more work permits and new deportation protections, is incentivizing more people to undertake the potentially deadly journey to the U.S.
According to Mexico’s National Institute of Migration (INM), approximately 1.3 million migrants traversed Mexican territory between January and May of this year.
Heatwaves have also wrought havoc on the Islamic Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, with over 1,300 mostly unauthorized pilgrims perishing in the heat.
