Stoking Fears Of Rape By Coyotes, Texas To Use Mexican Billboards To Scare Migrants Off

Texas has launched a billboard campaign in four Central American countries that uses pointed language -- some of it brutally frank -- to scare away would-be illegal immigrants from trying to make the dangerous journey into the United States. 

"[The billboards] give potential illegal immigrants thinking of leaving their home country -- and those already on the way -- a realistic picture of what will happen to them on their journey or if they illegally cross into Texas," Gov. Greg Abbott said at a Thursday press conference. "These billboards tell the horror stories of human trafficking. They implore those people in Central America to consider the violent, horrific realities of what will happen to the women and children they bring with them."

Budgeted for approximately $100,000, the campaign has already placed 40 billboards in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, along with some along the Mexican frontier. Consistent with Mexico's role as a conduit that funnels immigrants from all over the world, many of the billboards use languages other than Spanish, including Arabic, Russian and Chinese.   

With harsh messaging reminiscent of what some countries mandate for cigarette packaging, some of the 14 billboards unveiled on Thursday are viscerally brunt. They stoke fears not only imprisonment or kidnapping, but of wives and daughters being impregnated by rapists. Here's a sampling:

• "How much did you pay to have your daughter raped? Many girls are raped by the coyotes you hire."

• "Your wife and daughter will pay for the trip with their bodies. Coyotes lie. Don't put your family at risk."

• "This fourteen-year-old girl was raped by more than 20 men on her way to the border. Protect your family. Change their fate."

• "Danger Ahead. If you cross into Texas illegally, you will regret it forever."

• "If you thought the journey to the border was harsh, just wait until you see what life in jail is like."

“There is a largely unspoken sexual assault crisis impacting women and children migrating to the Texas border,” said Rose Luna, CEO of the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault. "There have been several rape trees and lots of women who have been found beaten and raped in front of our house and left to die."

Rape trees are said to be places where coyotes sexually assault migrants, and then adorn the branches with the underwear of their victims. Thursday's press conference was held next to what was described as a burned-down rape tree at Wall Ranch in Eagle Pass. Some knowledgeable people have expressed skepticism that the rape tree phenomenon is real, including South Texas sheriffs and the US Border Patrol -- which is not to say migrants aren't at high risk of sexual assault. 

Abbott has set out to distinguish himself as an aggressive defender of the Texas border. He's made headlines by shipping illegal immigrants to northern, Democratic cities. Earlier this year, Abbott announced the construction of a military base along the Rio Grand at the border city of Eagle Pass.  Forward Operating Base. Spanning 80-acres, "Forward Operating Base Eagle" will eventually house upwards of 1,800 Texas National Guard soldiers supporting Operation Lone Star -- Texas' border enforcement crackdown campaign -- and will be expandable to house 2,300.  

Abbott's groundbreaking Texas billboard campaign comes as Donald Trump is poised to return to the presidency, bringing with him a promised border and illegal-immigrant campaign even more aggressive than he pursued in his first term -- to include mass deportations and an end to birthright citizenship.