He was stranded and called 911—11 times over three days

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October 17, 2024 Sophie Murguia, deputy managing editor at Mother Jones, here.  Each year, hundreds of thousands of migrants cross the remote section of the Sonoran Desert that covers southern Arizona, hoping to make it safely into the United States. But it's a treacherous journey—the world’s deadliest land migration route, according to the UN—and if you're a migrant who finds yourself stranded in the mountains, you have few good options.  That’s what happened to Martín, a Guatemalan father of three whom writer Sarah Tory interviewed earlier this year. He was deep in the Arizona desert when he began suffering from chest pain and couldn’t keep walking, so he called 911—11 times over three days. But neither the local sheriff’s department nor the Border Patrol’s search and rescue agents ever came for him. Instead, it was only after Martín spent two nights out in the cold, risking hypothermia and dehydration, that volunteers from a local aid group took it upon themselves to save him, while a Border Patrol agent sat nearby in his truck, under orders to stay put.  Martín’s predicament reflects a larger issue with search and rescue at the southwest border, Sarah writes in a terrific feature out today. County officials are legally responsible for emergency services in their territory, but they often refer calls from migrants to the Border Patrol. The Border Patrol, though, is mainly a law enforcement agency—and that mission can conflict with its search and rescue goals. As a result, as one volunteer told Sarah, “Unless you have family who’s advocating for you and is really good at calling a million people, you’re kind of screwed.” You can find more of Sarah’s reporting—and read Martín’s infuriating story—here. —Sophie Murguia Advertisement Israel Killed Another Hamas Leader. What Happens Now? After the confirmed death of Yahya Sinwar, the chances for the end of regional war in the Middle East still seem slim. BY NOAH LANARD AND SOPHIE HURWITZ SPONSORED CONTENT FROM CATHOLICS FOR CHOICE Download Catholics for Choice FREE, pro-choice voter toolkit Every person has a distinct right and responsibility to pursue the common good for our community — and that includes voting. If we cannot build a society where all people can thrive together, justice cannot be achieved. Download Catholics for Choice free, non-partisan toolkit for the faithful pro-choice voter. Ron DeSantis is trying everything to sabotage Florida’s abortion referendum BY ABBY VESOULIS Republicans and Democrats believe their candidate will win—by a lot BY STEPHANIE MENCIMER Texas Democrats are trying the "throw Ted Cruz in a locker" strategy BY TIM MURPHY Trump’s proposed mass deportations could "decimate" America's food supply BY FRIDA GARZA AND AYURELLA HORN-MULLER Advertisement How a compromised search and rescue system in the borderlands leaves migrants in peril Saving lives often takes a back seat to immigration enforcement. BY SARAH TORY MOTHER JONES MEMBERSHIP UPDATE DONALD TRUMP & DEMOCRACY You’re a Mother Jones Daily reader, so you know the stakes and you know reporting like ours matters so freaking much in the month ahead (and beyond).   About that: We need the support of our newsletter readers like never before to vigorously fight back against the existential threats American democracy and journalism face. We urgently need all hands on deck. We can’t afford to come up short—we have no cushion; we leave it all on the field. Please help with a donation if you can—even just a few bucks helps. A monthly gift would be incredible. Donate Now Did you enjoy this newsletter? Share it on Facebook and Twitter. Donate Donate Monthly Subscribe For advertising opportunities see our online media kit. Were you forwarded this email? Sign up for Mother Jones' newsletters today. www.MotherJones.com PO Box 8539, Big Sandy, TX 75755