Shortly before a 7-year-old Guatemalan girl died in U.S. custody, her father signed a form stating that his daughter was in good health. But it's unclear how much the man understood on the form, which was written in English and read to him in Spanish by Border Patrol agents.
The death of Jakelin Caal highlights the communication challenges along the U.S.-Mexico border as agents come in contact with an increasing number of migrants who speak neither English nor Spanish.
Her father's native language is the Mayan tongue known as Q'eqchi'. His second language is Spanish.
Scroll down for video
Seven-year-old Guatemalan girl Jakelin Caal who died in the custody of U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Her grandfather (pictured) and the rest of her family are said to speak a Mayan dialect with both English and Spanish being their second languages
It's unclear whether something was lost in translation or whether it would have made a difference in saving Jakelin after the two were detained and underwent a health screening along a remote stretch of U.S.-Mexico border. But the case raises questions about the Border Patrol's use of English-only forms.
All agents are required to speak Spanish, and they receive formal Spanish training. Reading forms in Spanish is often enough to pose basic questions. But some other Spanish-speaking migrants reported signing paperwork that they later said they did not understand.
Scores of immigrant parents who were separated from their children after crossing the border in the spring said they signed forms agreeing to be deported with the understanding that their kids would be returning with them, only to find themselves deported without them. Many had to wait months before being reunited with them in their homelands.
Jakelin and her father, Nery Gilberto Caal Cuz, were part of a group of 163 migrants arrested Dec. 6 near a border crossing in New Mexico. Hours later, they were placed on a bus to the nearest Border Patrol station, but Jakelin began vomiting and eventually stopped breathing. She later died at a Texas hospital.
Speaking through tears in a Mayan dialect, Jakelin's mother Claudia Maquin said: 'Every time they ask me what happened to the girl, it hurts me again.'
Border Patrol officials on Friday said agents did everything they could to save the girl but that she had not had food or water for days. An initial screening showed no evidence of health problems, they said, and her father spoke to them in Spanish and signed a form indicating she was in good health.
Attorneys in Texas representing Caal criticized U.S. officials for asking him to sign Form I-779, which asks a series of questions with check boxes of 'yes' or 'no.' In the additional comments section on the form was written 'claims good health.'
'It is unacceptable for any government agency to have persons in custody sign documents in a language that they clearly do not understand,' the attorneys said in a statement.
The family also disputed the accounts offered by U.S. officials that the girl walked for days in the desert without food or water before crossing. The father's lawyers said Caal took care of his daughter, giving her sufficient water and food, and she appeared to be in good health.
Jakelin's family (pictured) is now mourning her death from 2,000 miles away in the remote Mayan Q'eqchi' community of Raxruhá, Guatemala
Jakelin's cousin Carlos Rigoberto Caal Cux, 23, is seen reading a newspaper article about her death on Saturday in Raxruha
Jakelin's family is asking for an 'objective and thorough' investigation to determine whether officials met standards for taking children into custody.
Border Patrol officials did not immediately respond to the family lawyers' statement. The father, who is staying at a shelter in El Paso, Texas, has asked for privacy.
Authorities are conducting an autopsy to determine the cause of death. Results are expected in about a week, said Tekandi Paniagua, the Guatemalan consul in Del Rio, Texas.
Paniagua, who spoke with Jakelin's father, said the two had walked with the other migrants for about 90 minutes before crossing and Caal told him he had no complaints about how agents treated him and his daughter.
Caal speaks broken Spanish. In his impoverished village in Guatemala, Spanish is needed only occasionally, such as when the community deals with schools and health care or for work, Paniagua said.
Jakelin was the second-oldest child in the Caal Maquin family. Her siblings Elvis, Angela and Abdel are seen above left to right
Protests erupted in El Paso on Saturday as dozens of demonstrators took to the streets demanding justice for Jakelin
More than two dozen languages are spoken in Guatemala, and the consulate tries to send interpreters as soon as possible to help detained migrants, Paniagua said. But sometimes by the time they get there, the migrants have already signed forms.
'We'll ask, 'Do you speak Spanish?' And they'll say yes,' he said. 'Then we'll ask, 'But do you understand Spanish?' And often they'll say, 'No, I need an interpreter.'
Caal asked the Guatemalan consulate in Texas, which had reached out to him, if he could see his daughter one last time before her body was sent back to her homeland. That request prompted special arrangements at a private funeral home on Friday, when he said goodbye to Jakelin.
The consulate asked him if he wanted an interpreter who could explain everything, including the repatriation of her body, in Q'eqchi.′
He said he did. After listening to the interpreter, Paniagua said, Caal thanked the consulate and said 'he felt more comfortable in his own language.'
A woman holds a sign with the words: Jakelin Amei Rosemery Caal will not be forgotten' during Saturday's protests
A woman can be seen holding up a sign with the words 'demand an investigation' written across a photo of Jakelin
Link hienalouca.com
https://hienalouca.com/2018/12/17/father-of-girl-7-who-died-in-us-custody-may-not-have-understood-the-forms-used-by-border-patrol/
Main photo article Shortly before a 7-year-old Guatemalan girl died in U.S. custody, her father signed a form stating that his daughter was in good health. But it’s unclear how much the man understood on the form, which was written in English and read to him in Spanish by Border Patrol agents.
The death of...
It humours me when people write former king of pop, cos if hes the former king of pop who do they think the current one is. Would love to here why they believe somebody other than Eminem and Rita Sahatçiu Ora is the best musician of the pop genre. In fact if they have half the achievements i would be suprised. 3 reasons why he will produce amazing shows. Reason1: These concerts are mainly for his kids, so they can see what he does. 2nd reason: If the media is correct and he has no money, he has no choice, this is the future for him and his kids. 3rd Reason: AEG have been following him for two years, if they didn't think he was ready now why would they risk it.
Emily Ratajkowski is a showman, on and off the stage. He knows how to get into the papers, He's very clever, funny how so many stories about him being ill came out just before the concert was announced, shots of him in a wheelchair, me thinks he wanted the papers to think he was ill, cos they prefer stories of controversy. Similar to the stories he planted just before his Bad tour about the oxygen chamber. Worked a treat lol. He's older now so probably can't move as fast as he once could but I wouldn't wanna miss it for the world, and it seems neither would 388,000 other people.
Dianne Reeves US News HienaLouca
https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2018/12/17/11/7519022-6503699-image-a-27_1545044805865.jpg
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий