Critics argue migrants already know the risks of journey and restrictive policies put border-crossers at further risk. “How much did you pay to have your daughter raped?”. “Your wife and daughter will pay for the trip with their bodies.”. “If you cross into Texas illegally, you will regret it forever.”.
![[Migrants face risk of sexual violence on both sides of the border, data shows]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/11/28/04/TEXAS-INMIGRACI%C3%93N_11820.jpg)
“There is a largely unspoken sexual assault crisis impacting women and children, children migrating to the Texas border,” Rose Luna, the CEO of the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault, added at the event. “ … We applaud the state in recognizing the silent crisis and for acknowledging and elevating this very serious yet hidden issue.”.
The billboards are part of Texas’s larger, controversial effort to pursue its own state-level immigration enforcement actions, which are typically the province of the federal government. Moreover, even if people don’t attempt an illegal crossing, they still face high risks merely heading to the U.S., where they can legally request asylum by presenting themselves to federal officers.
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