More Water Stations Allowed at Border

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Agency’s new policy could allow humanitarian aid groups to set up more water stations along public trails in Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge to aid migrants from the south. The groups would have to follow new rules though.

While the organization Humane Borders applauded the agency, not all the humanitarian aid groups were pleases with the new regulations. They prohibit the methods used by NO More Deaths and Samaritans. These groups put out 1-55 gallon jugs of water along the trail, and earlier this year, they were allowed to do so, but now the agency is saying that the empty 1 gallon jugs the groups use cause too much litter. No More Deaths has previously testified that the empty jugs are picked up in order to be re-used.

Despite officials’ spotlight on litter, the main issue for many is the belief that the water stations promote more illegal traffic though the refuge. Dan Millis of No More Deaths scoffed at such an idea saying, ‘Our water is not what’s causing people to come through the desert. The failed U.S. border policy of militarizing the border is what has caused people to come through the desert.’

While No More Deaths is pleased Humane Borders will be allowed to place more stationary water stations they still believe the 1 gallon jugs are the necessary. The 1 gallon containers are essential because while the large containers still provide water, it requires the migrants to remain stationary, but the smaller bottles allow the moving migrants to remain just that, moving, but also hydrated.

In response to No More Deaths’ upset, Humane Borders’ Robin Hoover said, ‘They are fighting a good battle to put water in the desert, but they are fighting the wrong battle when they are fighting over the size of the water container.’