US border agents will not speak to lawmakers about girl’s death

DHS said the majority of agents involved in the girl’s detention were union members and, as such, their duties did not include speaking to members of Congress.

Art Del Cueto, a spokesman for the agents’ union, the National Border Patrol Council, said it advised them not to speak to anyone outside DHS about the incident until the agency completes its investigation.

The DHS said visiting lawmakers would be able to speak with the commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Border Patrol leaders.

“While DHS respects the oversight role of Congress, it is important to allow the review process to occur unimpeded by politics,” DHS spokeswoman Katie Waldman said in a statement.

Agents involved in the incident will participate in the DHS inspector general’s investigation of Caal’s death, DHS said.

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Caal and her father crossed a remote stretch of border in a group of 163 immigrants and were apprehended by Border Patrol. They waited eight hours to be transported to the nearest Border Patrol station. On arrival at the Lordsburg, New Mexico station, Caal was found to have a high fever. She died December 8 in an El Paso, Texas hospital after being diagnosed with liver failure, according to CBP.

Attorneys for the family released a statement on Saturday calling for “a transparent and neutral” investigation into her death. The family disputed a statement made by CBP officials to the Washington Post that Jakelin had not eaten or had water in several days. 

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