Amid one of the most severe heat waves in the southern United States, authorities and activists in South Texas were faced with a perplexing mystery. Barrels of essential water strategically placed by a human rights group for migrants traveling on foot had disappeared. These 55-gallon blue drums, labeled with the word “AGUA,” were usually easily visible against the arid landscape. The stakes were high as migrants and human smugglers sought to avoid a Border Patrol checkpoint in Texas’ scorching Jim Hogg County. The extreme temperatures, which can reach 110 degrees Fahrenheit, have proven deadly for those attempting this treacherous journey. The story is fraught with emotion, as Ruben Garza of the Jim Hogg Sheriff’s Office recounted the tragic death of a migrant who succumbed to the harsh conditions shortly after being rescued.
Determining the exact number of migrant deaths is challenging due to underreporting, but the UN International Organization for Migration estimates nearly 3,000 migrants have died crossing from Mexico to the US, often due to drowning, lack of shelter, food, or water. Humanitarian groups began placing water stations for migrants in the 1990s after authorities discovered the bodies of those who couldn’t endure the harsh conditions. Volunteers like John Meza of the South Texas Human Rights Center work diligently to restock these stations and ensure their GPS coordinates are visible. However, during one of his rounds, Meza discovered that 12 out of 21 stations were missing.
The disappearance of these water barrels became a baffling puzzle. Wildfires and road construction were considered possible causes, but there was no evidence of melted plastic or signs of movement. An investigator from the Jim Hogg Sheriff’s Office surveyed the area and noted the circumstances surrounding each missing barrel, suspecting that road crews or wildfires might be responsible. However, conclusions were elusive, and it is hoped that the disappearances are the result of a misunderstanding rather than a deliberate act. In other states along the southern border, missing water stations have been attributed to malicious intent, with Border Patrol agents caught on video vandalizing water jugs intended for people in the desert.
Laura and John Hunter, who have been providing water along smuggling routes in Southern California since the 1990s, have experienced vandalism and opposition to their work. They offered advice to replace the missing barrels with used ones equipped with cameras to capture potential culprits. Eddie Canales, executive director of the South Texas Human Rights Center, plans to work with volunteers to replace the missing stations.
This year, the number of migrants crossing through South Texas and subsequent deaths decreased due to new border policies implemented by President Joe Biden’s administration. However, the situation could change depending on the outcome of legal challenges to these policies. For now, the mystery surrounding the disappearance of the water barrels remains unsolved. Nonetheless, dedicated volunteers like Meza are determined to continue their life-saving work, despite the possibility of malicious intent behind the vanishing water stations.
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