The southern border keeps being lethal for migrants. The U.S. Border Patrol informed that since October 1, nearly 55 migrants have lost their lives in El Paso and Southern New Mexico. Now, amid the triple-digit heat, authorities are warning migrants of the danger the heat poses in their journey, reports Julian Resendiz for Border Report.  

"We want the migrants to be aware of what is going on and not become another statistic," said Fidel Baca, a Border Patrol spokesman in El Paso. 

But the heat isn’t the only factor affecting migrants. Many of them are victims of smugglers who drop them in the desert without water or food. Others fall in ravines on Mount Cristo Rey or try to swim across canals, Resendiz notes.  

Border Patrol has placed 17 "rescue" beacons in isolated areas so migrants can summon assistance by pushing a button. 

Separately, in San Antonio, local authorities, advocates and other groups honored the victims of the tragic migrant smuggling incident that left 53 dead in June 2022. The commemoration is reigniting talks about the immigration system, writes Zack Briggs for KENS 5.  

"This was a direct result of the immigration system that has dehumanized and criminalized people who are seeking freedom and safety within our borders," said Dolores Schroeder of RAICES, while urging lawmakers to implement more humane immigration policies. 

Welcome to Wednesday’s edition of The Forum Daily. I’m Clara Villatoro, the Forum’s strategic communications manager, and the great Forum Daily team also includes Karime Puga, Alexandra Villarreal, Dan Gordon, Christian Blair, and Katie Lutz. If you have a story to share from your own community, please send it to me at [email protected]. 

A LARGER FACILITY — The Biden administration is planning to open a new facility in North Carolina to house unaccompanied migrant children, reports Camilo Montoya-Galvez of CBS News. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) would repurpose a former boarding school with a capacity to house up to 800 migrant children starting in August. The new facility could open even when HHS has seen a decrease of nearly 75 % in unaccompanied minors since the spring of 2022, Montoya-Galvez notes. 

IMMIGRATION WOES — In Kansas, where 21% of registered nursing jobs went unfilled last year, hospital recruiters are looking abroad to recruit top talent, but they are being limited by the immigration system, Samantha Horton reports for KCUR. Delays because of backlogs have complicated recruitment. "We were shocked and disappointed," said Tiffany Beyer, International Recruitment Manager after her hospital successfully hired over 100 nurses from the Philippines, only to be blindsided by immigration woes.  

‘SOLUTIONS, NOT POLITICS’ — The Business sector in Florida keeps advocating for immigrant workers and their role in the local economy, reports Mary Ellen Klas for the Miami Herald. In fact, business groups are urging for an expansion of H-2A visas for temporary workers and a pathway to legalization for farm workers. "We really want solutions, not politics," said Samuel Vilchez Santiago, Florida director of the American Business Immigration Coalition. 

A WORKFORCE ISSUE — Rep. Kasey Carpenter (R) in Georgia is setting out to prove that the fifth time’s the charm as he doubles down on efforts to pass in-state tuition for DACA recipients during next year’s legislative session, reports Emma Hurt of Axios. "It's a no-brainer," state Rep. Carpenter said. DACA recipients in Georgia pay around $88 million a year in state and local taxes. "Hell, we can't afford to lose them!" Carpenter said. "We don't have enough people to do jobs now." 

Thanks for reading, 

Clara