Last week, The Department of Justice indicted Abdul Karim Conteh, a man from Sierra Leone accused of leading a large human smuggling organization that brought thousands of undocumented migrants into the United States. According to the indictment, Conteh allegedly "oversaw the migrants' unlawful entry into the United States by various surreptitious and unlawful means, including the use of ladders and tunnels."
A new piece by Border Report reveals just exactly how widespread the use of ladders in the border is, as dozens of them were found in a dumpster in an area known as "Whiskey 8," where migrants congregate along the border between San Diego and Tijuana, about 2 miles west of the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
The ladders, mostly made of recycled materials such as rebar, were reportedly used by smugglers to help migrants hop over the wall.
In the past, Border Patrol has said the ladders are an example of how smugglers put migrant lives in danger. But a migrant advocate who asked not to be identified, told Border Report that the ladders show how "easily the walls can be climbed."
Back in March, the UC San Diego Health and Scripps Mercy Hospital made the news for reporting having treated a record number of injuries as a result of migrants attempting to enter the United States illegally. Scripps experienced a drastic uptick in migrant-related injuries in February, treating 41 migrants, the third-highest monthly number going back some eight years, exceeded only by 55 injuries in September 2022 and 44 in November 2021.
Dr. Alexander Tenorio, a neurological surgery resident at UC San Diego Health, explained to Newsweek that not only are the numbers increasing, the severity of the injuries is as well:
"We've definitely seen an increase since the border wall was raised to 30 feet at the end of 2019...Not only are the numbers going up, but the severity of these injuries—it's much, much worse."
© 2024 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
