Regardless of the victim’s age, I think it could be argued to fall under “involuntary manslaughter” in the US Code. [18 U.S. Code § 1112 - Manslaughter | U.S. Code | US Law | LII / Legal Information Institute] You would have to establish criminal negligence or recklessness to get any traction, as I understand it. That requires a finding that he knew, or should have known, that transporting the victim under the conditions he imposed had a high risk of causing death.
Or, we could call it what it is–kidnapping, his ass-covering blather about it being “voluntary” notwithstanding. Then we turn to the section of the code on murder.
The administration of international borders is a Federal matter, which is why the DoJ is suing to force Texas to remove the barrier.
But criminal matters in the waters of a border river are the jurisdiction of the State which “owns” that half of the river. Border waters are not federal property, which is the primary way the federal government would assert jurisdiction. So Texas would have the obligation to carry out such an investigation. We can predict how that would go.
(Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer, so this is just my layman’s understanding of this topic.)
OTOH, it turns out that most of the barrier is actually in Mexican territorial waters.
Even at that, something doesn’t quite add up. 3 year olds don’t generally go around dying on vehicular trips, unless they’re some combination of neglected, in poor health, or abused in some way.
None of which are a result of being on that bus. I feel like in an alternate universe we’d be reading “3 year old immigrant dies in Texas custody” instead of the headlines we got. I’m not so sure the busing really had much to do with it.
Not saying it was right or good, but that there is probably more to the story than the headlines.
The most likely explanation is the same thing that happened on all the other buses - there were limited stops and only for fuel, little or no food and few or no opportunities to get food, etc.
I’m not shocked a 3 year old died on one of these buses. I’m more surprised it had not yet happened. Those drivers don’t stop for anything but gassing up.
This is an article from last year and the experience is pretty much normal
It doesn’t have to be one or the other. There was almost certainly some sort of medical emergency, but how those in charge reacted mught easily have been the difference between life and death.
Yeah, and putting someone on a long distance bus trip is a great way to ensure there’s medical help within a reasonable response distance and time, right?
Now as the article says, the drivers may have different routes they can take to avoid the weather. But putting an additional strain on the city is just spiteful.
Because that’s not what’s happening. Trafficking isn’t just moving someone somewhere under false pretenses. It also involves forced labor or another kind of exploitation. If after the buses delivered them, they were told they now owe money for the transport service and force them to work it off, then that’s trafficking. If they are just dumped there and left to fend for themselves (which is what I expect is happening) then that doesn’t apply.
Trafficking is really just another word for modern day slavery.
Oh I agree absolutely. If nothing else, transporting someone under false pretenses and leaving them stranded is a form of fraud. I don’t think it counts as kidnapping unless you physically force them to go; as in, they get on the bus and then say they want off and you lock the doors or have goons stopping them from leaving, or even force them onto the bus at gunpoint. But no, it definitely does not sound legal and there should absolutely be legal ramifications for these stunts. You are playing with lives and causing a lot of disruption just to make a political point.
Yes, America’s Finest News Source.
I post a lot of these. It’s actually hard for their writers to come up with enough absurd ideas to keep ahead of the Republicants.
Speaking of shootings, a Texas National Guardsman deployed to the border by Abbott shot across the border and injured a Mexican national who was just working out on Mexican soil.
Abbott’s going to end up get us into an armed conflict. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if that was his goal.