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Brooks County sheriff: Influx of undocumented immigrant bodies

Martinez says 84 bodies found since start of year
Brooks County dealing with an influx of undocumented immigrant deaths
Posted at 1:11 PM, Sep 03, 2021
and last updated 2021-09-03 14:12:34-04

FALFURRIAS, Texas — The border crisis is spilling into Brooks County.

The Brooks County Sheriff's Office is dealing with the bodies of undocumented immigrants being found on ranch lands throughout the county.

Brooks County Sheriff Benny Martinez says the bodies of 84 people have been found since the beginning of the year.

He believes once they crossed over from Mexico, these people either became lost or injured while trekking through remote areas of the county.

Many of the dead may have also fell victim to the South Texas heat.

Martinez there has been a 221 percent increase in the number of bodies being found over last year.

"They're hard numbers," he said. "I always refer to factual numbers as hard numbers, but then again anything we miss here, will go to the counties on the coast and the counties north of us."

Water stations and emergency beacons have been placed across the county for immigrants who need help.

Border Patrol units routinely search remote areas for people trying to cross.