Texas responds to migrant child dying on bus transport to Chicago

[August 14, 2023]  By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square contributor

(The Center Square) – A 3-year-old child of a family that entered the U.S. in Brownsville, Texas, and was released by the Biden administration died after the family requested Texas bus them to Chicago.

The Texas Division of Emergency Management issued a statement about what happened.

“Every loss of life is a tragedy,” it said. “Once the child presented with health concerns, the bus pulled over and security personnel on board called 9-1-1 for emergency attention. After the ambulance arrived, the bilingual security personnel translated for the parents and the paramedics who were providing care for the child. The child was then taken to a local hospital to receive additional medical attention and was later pronounced deceased.”
 

TDEM added that everyone on the bus “underwent a temperature check and was asked if they had medical conditions that may require medical assistance. Following this check, prior to boarding, no passenger presented with a fever or medical concerns.”

TDEM also said that the bus transport was voluntary.

“Having been processed and released by the federal government into overwhelmed border towns, migrants willingly chose to go to Chicago having signed a voluntary consent waiver available in multiple languages upon boarding that they agreed on the destination,” it said. “Each bus is stocked with food and water, which are distributed on board, and makes stops along the trip to refuel and switch drivers. Migrants are allowed to purchase any additional provisions or disembark at any of these stops.”

An Illinois Department of Public Health official confirmed the child died after entering the Chicago area, the Chicago Tribune reported. The cause of death has not been released.

IDPH spokeswoman Lauri Sanders said, “IDPH is working with local health officials, state police, and federal authorities to the fullest extent possible to get answers in this tragic situation.”

Since Texas Gov. Greg Abbott launched Texas' busing strategy in April 2022 “to provide much-needed relief to the state's overwhelmed border communities”, Texas has transported more than 30,000 foreign nationals to self-declared sanctuary cities. All transportation is voluntary, the state says. All adults sign waivers for themselves and minors under their care and choose their destination city.

Initially, Texas began busing people to Washington, D.C., last year, then expanded its busing destinations to four sanctuary cities.

Since April 2022, Texas transported more than 10,700 foreign nationals to Washington, D.C. Since last August, Texas has bused over 11,500 to New York City and over 4,900 to Chicago. Since last November, Texas has bused over 2,100 to Philadelphia.

This year, the busing strategy expanded to an additional two cities, Denver and Los Angeles. Since May 18, more than 520 have been bused to Denver; since June 14, over 290 to Los Angeles.

The majority of buses transporting foreign nationals from Texas to Chicago are from the Democratic-run city of El Paso, funded by the Biden administration through FEMA. The city has said the primary destination of choice of those arriving is Chicago and New York City.