03/16/2014
Immigrant advocacy group La Union del Pueblo Entero (LUPE) is speaking out after a Border Patrol agent allegedly assaulted a women and two girls.
Local organizations that give a voice to poor immigrants, like LUPE, are saying Customs and Border Protection will need to implement big reforms before they can regain the trust of the Rio Grande Valley community.
While Wednesday's incident may be one of the worst offenses seen in the valley by a Border Patrol agent, Communication Coordinator at LUPE, John-Michael Torres says its not the first time an agent has overstepped their bounds.
"This is really a problem that they allow something like this to happen especially while the person is on duty," Torres said. "At least they should be able tokeep someone from breaking the law while on duty."
When an incident of this kind takes place, Torres says it affects the entire community.
"People are connected to the immigrant community in the RGV. When the most vulnerable amongst us are abused in this way, we see it as an attack on all of us as a whole," Torres said.
While Torres acknowledges the vast majority of agents are honest and law abiding, he believes the agency's image has been shattered.
"The Border Patrol has to respond strongly, they have to respond with a full investigation, with answers of why this was allowed to take place, especially by someone on duty. They have to allow the family to receive closure, they have to be there to support them mentally and physically," Torres said.
The conditions some immigrants go through to get into the country are deplorable but Torres says many of those who make the journey are willing to risk their lives to get here.
"When people decide to cross the border they take a calculated risk that says I may be abused or subjected to horrible conditions and may even loose my life, but what I'm leaving behind is a slow death,"
Torres said.
Torres said.
While the abuse of immigrants usually comes from human traffickers, Torres looks to immigration reform as a way to prevent futhur abuse in the future.
"If we had immigration reform that allowed people to come to this country legally and safely they would, people would not take these risks," Torres said. "We are making people choose between their families and their lives."
LUPE says they look forward to seeing the thourough investigation report.
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