Nowhere to run or hide: Mexican illegal immigrants look up to the sky in desperation
By Danielle Zoellner For Dailymail.com
PUBLISHED: 17:18 EST, 22 February 2018 | UPDATED: 19:26 EST, 22 February 2018
In a desperate bid to reach the United States, Mexican illegal immigrants will use any means necessary to get across the border.
Many make it to dry land, but some only get as far as the Rio Grande before they are spotted by heavily-armed border agents scouring the wall and captured.
Pictures taken from law enforcement helicopters over Texas show the tight net foreigners try to escape in their bid for a new life.
They are seen desperately swimming in the river that separates the two countries while officers track them down from the air or on the ground.
The border patrol warns against crossing the river because of its strong waters.
These images, taken on Wednesday in McAllen, Texas, show the lengths migrants will go to get into the US from the southern border.
It comes as the debate over how to deal with the wave of immigrants crossing the border intensifies.
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An undocumented immigrant was photographed Wednesday swimming across the Rio Grande back into Mexico to evade arrest from the US border agents
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mmigrants jumped into the Texas side of the Rio Grande in McAllen to avoid US border agents. The US Border Patrol warns against people crossing the Rio Grande river because of its strong waves
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Two undocumented immigrants attempt to swim across the Rio Grande to evade officers. The Rio Grande can be dangerous to cross because of its currents, which can be 25 miles per hour
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Pictured is a pickup truck that held three immigrants before they crashed it into a tree. They then swam across the Rio Grande river to evade capture by the US Border Patrol
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A US Border Patrol K-9 unit tracks the group of undocumented immigrants near McAllen, Texas
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Footprints are seen in a muddy field in Mexico that leads to the Rio Grande river, which runs as a natural border between parts of the country and Texas. The spot is a popular crossing point for undocumented immigrants
Earlier in February, McAllen Border Patrol Station rescued two immigrants from Guatamala who almost drowned while attempting to swim across the Rio Grande river.
The patrol also retrieved one body from the river who drowned while trying to cross.
Officials warn against crossing the body of water because of strong currents that could run up to 25 miles per hour, making it dangerous for even the most competent of swimmers.
Vice President Mike Pence toured the US and Mexico border in the Rio Grande Valley on Friday to discuss the proposed wall and border force to stop people from crossing.
He tweeted that for the United States, it was 'a matter of vital national security that we secure the border'.
But critics have debated the construction of the border wall citing it would cost the taxpayers billions of dollars for a structure that might not solve any problems.
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A US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agent was pursuing a truck filled with three illegal immigrants on Wednesday. The helicopter he was flying in is called 'Black Hawk'
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Border Patrol stand with undocumented immigrant families by the US-Mexico border fence before transporting them to a processing center. People cross the Rio Grande river to seek asylum in the US
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The Black Hawk helicopter followed a truck of immigrants as they drove the car across the border and crashed it into a tree on the Texas side. Pictured is the border fence between the US and Mexico
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A US Border Patrol agent stands with a family of immigrants before transporting them to a processing center. Vice President Mike Pence visited the border wall in Mexico last Friday to promote stronger security
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Pictured is a portion of the border wall between Mexico and Texas. Congress debated last week about immigration laws for the United States regarding funding for the wall and the DACA program
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There were less immigrants apprehended in 2017 than there were in 2016. But studies suggest immigrants are finding more dangerous ways to get into the United States
Migrant deaths increased from crossing the border by 17 percent in 2017, according to the International Organization for Migration.
The organization saw an increase during the first seven months of 2017 compared to that of 2016. This was despite the decrease in the number of migrants who were apprehended by border patrol.
The numbers suggest fewer migrants might be crossing, but now they are taking more dangerous passageways such as crossing the Rio Grande in order to get into the United States.
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Border Patrol uses helicopters to help search for any immigrants trying to cross into the United States illegally. Migrant deaths increased 17 percent in the first seven months of 2017
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The US Customs Border Protection officers are responsible for guarding the borders and protecting the United States from immigrants crossing illegally into the country
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The US border agents watched on Wednesday as three immigrants crossed into Texas and then tried to flee back to Mexico by fleeing through the Rio Grande river
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US Border Patrol also uses boats to search the water for undocumented immigrants. Earlier this month, they found on dead body who drowned in the river while trying to cross
These dangerous pathways have become more popular because of the increased pressure by the president to focus on border security.
US Border Patrol agents and Texas conducted high-speed chases in helicopters and cars to catch immigrants who were attempting to cross the border.
One vehicle crashed into a tree after crossing the Texas side of border, and the three occupants managed swim back across the Rio Grande into Mexico.
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Us Border Patrol questions immigrant families at the border wall. Congress tried to pass a $25 billion budget for funding the border wall, but the budget didn't get enough votes
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The Rio Grande river runs more than 1,800 miles through Texas and New Mexico. It serves as a natural border between the US and Mexico
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US Border Patrol agents ride along the Rio Grande river and are spotted from the Black Hawk helicopter. The Immigration bill was killed in a 54 to 45 vote last week
US Air and Marine Operations were also involved in the chases captured on camera on Wednesday. They used helicopters and boats to help spot the immigrants that chose to swim the Rio Grande.
Last week, Congress debated an immigration bill that would satisfy both parties. This debate ended with no approved bill as a majority couldn't agree on what to do with DACA and funding the border wall.
A bipartisan agreement was almost made to give the president $25 billion to fund the wall, but that agreement failed in a vote of 54 to 45.
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US Border Patrol boats are used to monitor the Rio Grande river for anybody that is attempting to cross the river
Trump in a weekend tweet accused Democrats of not wanting to find a permanent fix for the DACA program that is entangled in a court battle that has postponed its March 5 expiration.
Placing the blame for the stalemate squarely at the other party's feet on Friday, he said, 'Cannot believe how BADLY DACA recipients have been treated by the Democrats...totally abandoned!'
The president asserted that 'Republicans are still working hard' to arrive at a compromise, however.
But Democrats pushed back saying it was the president who ended DACA while they were trying to save the program.
The future of immigration laws in the US remain uncertain as the president and his party continues to push for better security while the opposition refuses to back down until there is a permanent fix to the DACA program.
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