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The BBC's Peter Greste
"Temperatures reached as high as 43 degrees centigrade"
 real 28k

Friday, 25 May, 2001, 05:17 GMT 06:17 UK
Mexico pressures US over migrants
Undocumented immigrant in a wheelchair escorted by emergency services
Immigrants were abandoned in the middle of the desert
By the BBC's Elizabeth Blunt

The Mexican foreign ministry says a way must be found to allow orderly and safe migration to the United States.

In a joint statement with the US Government, it said the death of 14 illegal immigrants in the Arizona desert had emphasised the need for a new agreement on migration and border security.


The border patrol helicopters are still out, searching the desolate desert near the Mexican border.

Patrols ran across the first group of immigrants on Wednesday, exhausted and dehydrated.

The smugglers who took them across the border had abandoned them last Saturday, telling them they were only a couple of miles from a road.

Long trek

In fact the road was more than 80km away, and the Mexicans wandered for five days, in temperatures which reached 46C.

A search began for their companions. Survivors were airlifted to hospital in the town of Yuma.

Dr Shawnna Delsorbo said they were in a very bad state - one was actually dead on arrival.

Captain Cyril Atherton says he believes some members of the group may still be unaccounted for.

"We have a rough estimate of anywhere from 25 to 28 individuals total in the group. We will continue looking and pushing any kind of foot sign out there until we find everyone we can out there," he said.

This is the worst incident of its kind in Arizona.

Local residents say government policy has made the border crossing far more dangerous.

Border patrols concentrate their efforts on the more populated parts of the border, forcing the smugglers and their clients to take the risk of crossing through the desert.

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See also:

18 May 00 | Americas
Mexico attacks US vigilantes
03 Jan 01 | Americas
US immigrants get prison rights
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