Grim Fate: Migrants Perish in Arizona’s Scorching Desert, Leaving Many Unaccounted For

James Holeman had his first confrontation with the deadly consequences of illegal migration in August 2018. On his initial patrol with Aguilas del Desierto, a group dedicated to rescuing missing migrants, he came face to face with the harsh realities of the desert.

“The desert is very efficient at making people disappear,” Holeman remarked. “Even when they don’t have anyone searching for them, their lives still hold value.”

His team was tasked with combing through Growler Valley, about 30 miles from his home in Ajo and 75 miles from Yuma. That day, they stumbled upon two sites containing human bones, remains of individuals who had braved one of the most inhospitable terrains in the country.

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), over half the deaths among migrants in the Americas happen in the U.S.-Mexico border region. This area was labeled the deadliest land crossing globally in 2021.

May through September are the most treacherous months at the border, notes Pima County’s Medical Examiner Greg Hess. The Department of Homeland Security reports that 9,520 people have been found dead since 1998 after crossing from Mexico. This number probably underestimates the true toll, as many bodies are never discovered.

“Far too many individuals have perished from dehydration and heat stroke after trusting criminal organizations with their lives,” said Justin De La Torre, Tucson Sector’s deputy chief patrol agent, following the discovery of three bodies at Sheep Peak last month.

Organizations like the Government Accountability Office and the National Immigration Forum have highlighted the chronic undercounting of migrant deaths by Customs and Border Protection. Local authorities rarely maintain comprehensive records of these deaths. Pima County is an exception, having registered 64 deaths this year alone.

Smugglers offer high-risk crossings through the desert, a cheaper but perilous alternative to city crossings. In 2020, Holeman formed his own group, Battalion Search and Rescue, which seeks to find migrants before they succumb to extreme conditions. Despite their efforts, they often find skeletal remains.

“Last year, we found 30 [remains]. This year, I expect we’ll discover over 50 sites just in Growler Valley,” Holeman noted. Humane Borders collaborates with Pima County to maintain an online database, assisting families in finding closure about their missing loved ones.

“Even if they remain unidentified, those individuals matter,” Holeman asserted. “They’re part of the larger narrative of policies that result in deaths.”

Hundreds of rescue beacons are scattered along remote desert routes. However, they don’t always guarantee timely rescue. On June 26, Border Patrol agents found three bodies near Ajo after four panicked migrants led them to the location. Dehydration and exhaustion had claimed their lives.

Pima County began tracking migrant deaths in the early 2000s. According to Hess, the county has recorded over 4,000 remains since then, with more than half identified and returned to families.

In neighboring Cochise County, fewer bodies are found, but discoveries are still common. Pima’s environment is less rugged but often hotter and more lethal.

In 2022, Yuma County reported 63 migrant deaths, a significant increase from the previous year. The causes of death are often indeterminable due to advanced decomposition.

“Most suspected migrant remains we find are victims of exposure, but it’s difficult to prove,” Hess said. There’s no mandate for a comprehensive record across various authorities, making it hard to determine the true death toll.

Holeman, a former U.S. Marine Corps reservist, believes in the moral duty to find and honor the deceased, similar to military protocols for missing personnel.

“We should offer the same dignity to those who perish on our land,” he stated. His team, comprising six to eight individuals, conducts two-day desert expeditions, treating found corpses as crime scenes to assist local law enforcement investigations.

Holeman recently visited Hidalgo County, New Mexico, to inspect reported sites of remains. Hidalgo County Sheriff William Chadborn noted that remains are usually discovered when they’re already bones.

Collected remains are sent to medical examiners for identification. Holeman is convinced that many more remain undiscovered in remote, often government-restricted areas like the Barry M. Goldwater Range.

“We want to find these people and bring closure,” he said.