Mexican Train Derails With 1,000 Illegal Immigrants Riding On Top

A Mexican train carrying more than 1,000 illegal immigrants derailed en route to the Texas border area. The cargo train was transporting both Central Americans and Mexican adults and children hoping to enter the United States illegally and surrender themselves to Border Patrol agents, Reuters reports.

None of the illegal immigrants about the Mexican train were injured when it derailed. The train came off the tracks in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca on Wednesday. Many of the people riding on top of the train cars were young children and teenagers. The trains, which are believed to be used by coyotes to shuttle illegal migrants to America, travel through rural and rugged terrain, but many feel they are still easy to spot — and ultimately stop.

The train many illegal immigrants are using is referred to as La Bestia — The Beast. Mexican authorities think The Beast may have derailed due to several days of heavy rain in the area. Those attempting to cross over the Texas border illegally found themselves stranded and forced to go on foot if they were to reach their goal.

As previously reported by The Inquisitr, more than 50,000 illegal immigrant children have been caught or surrendered to Border Patrol agents so far this year. In January, an ICE contract posting called for providers to help house and care for about 65,000 unaccompanied minors. The posting has led some to believe that the Obama administration actually expected the massive influx of illegal aliens and should have done more to secure the border and avert the problem.

The people riding on top of The Beast when it derailed reportedly told Mexican officials that they were fleeing violence in their own countries. After President Obama met with Texas Governor Rick Perry about the border security problem on Wednesday afternoon, the term “refugees” has been uttered by a variety of journalists when referencing the illegal immigrant children crammed onto military bases awaiting processing and possible deportation.

Critics of the handling of the Texas border crisis have pointed to the high number of youth gun deaths in Chicago on various weekends when noting the hazardous conditions minors in our own country are forced to deal with on a regular basis.

Last week The Beast derailed as well, killing one person and injuring several others, IBN reports. Mexico’s National Migration Institute issued a press release after the train derailment, noting the accident occurred along the Oaxaca’s Isthmus of Tehuantepec region. The train operators said the accident was due to “old and poorly maintained” tracks.

The train illegal immigrants routinely ride close to the Texas border is also often referred to as the “Train of Death” because of past derailments. In August of last year, a similar accident killed five and injured 35.

What do you think should be done to stop the influx of illegal immigrants from dangerously traveling across Mexico and to America?