A father and daughter from El Salvador were found dead Monday after they tried to cross the Rio Grande River from Mexico into the United States.
An image of their bodies published first by a local newspaper has become widely circulated by news organizations and on social media, boosting attention on the circumstances of migrants who face long wait times for adjudication of asylum cases at the border.
Oscar Alberto Martinez Ramirez, the 25-years-old father, was able to get the 24-month-old daughter to the other side of the river, but when he went back across to help his wife, their daughter went into the water, the report said. He tried to save her but both were swept away by the river's strong currents.
The image of this tragedy brought the "Kurdi family" to mind, who escaped from the war in Syria and tried to cross the Aegean Sea from Turkey's town Bodrum to Greece.
While trying to cross the Aegean Sea along with her mother Rihan and her elder brother Galib, after their boat has sunk, the lifeless body of Aylan Kurdi washed Turkey's ashore. The image of her face down on the sand became a symbol of Syrian refugee drama.
The death of 3-year-old Aylan Kurdı caused reactions across the globe and became headlines in newspapers. The image of Kurdi took part in politicians' election propaganda but there has been no change in the situation of refugees.
The humanitarian crisis and the plight of refugees are getting worse every day.
US President Donald Trump's harsh security practices at the Mexican border are causing migrants to choose dangerous routes to enter the US.
As the lifeless bodies of migrants continue to wash ashore, there is no change in the attitude of imperialist and colonialist countries towards refugees.
ILKHA