Thread by @laurenvillagran

A 7-year-old Guatemalan girl died in #BorderPatrol custody after crossing with her father & 161 other migrants in the #NewMexico Bootheel. @DHSgov officials just tried to explain to reporters how remote & dangerous the region is, but it's hard to convey if you haven't seen it.

I've been covering the #Bootheel for years. Central American #migrants have been arriving for years, but not in the numbers seen in the past three months. When the latest group arrived, 4 agents were there to meet them. FOUR. The group included 50 unaccompanied minors.

So, for those who don't know the #Bootheel, its three north-south mountain chains or its two north-south roads, the tiny #AntelopeWells port of entry or the #BorderPatrol forward operating base that is barely staffed, here are some stories by me & @rosalesquique

Here's what the #AntelopeWells port of entry looks like: abqjournal.com/933429/sleepy-…

Here's what it's like for #BorderPatrol to work the area:
abqjournal.com/618375/if-they…

Most of the Central Americans are "give ups," meaning they turn themselves in to #BorderPatrol. But agents are also dealing with constant traffic through the #Bootheel of drug mules carrying 60lb packs of #marijuana: abqjournal.com/618664/its-a-g…

The #Bootheel is gorgeous: abqjournal.com/995691/in-nms-…

@DHSgov explained what happened from the time the girl & her father crossed & her death in El Paso. The story adds up if you know the terrain; but details remain fuzzy w/o hearing the father's perspective.

Things aren't always what they seem out there: abqjournal.com/775237/boothee…

And there is no #BorderWall . Plenty of locals don't want one & would rather have a functioning road or two: abqjournal.com/774434/l.html