Child’s death highlights language barriers at U.S. border

Shortly before a seven-year-old Guatemalan girl died in U.S. custody, her father signed a form stating his daughter was in good health.

But it’s unclear how much the man understood on the form, which was written in English and read to him in Spanish by Border Patrol agents.

The death of Jakelin Caal highlights the communication challenges along the U.S.-Mexico border as agents come in contact with an increasing number of migrants who speak neither English nor Spanish.

Her father’s native language is the Mayan tongue known as Q’eqchi’. His second language is Spanish.

It’s unclear whether something was lost in translation or whether it would have made a difference in saving Jakelin after the two were detained and underwent a health screening along a remote stretch of U.S.-Mexico border.

But the case raises questions about the Border Patrol’s use of English-only forms.

All agents are required to speak Spanish, and they receive formal Spanish training. Reading forms in Spanish is often enough to pose basic questions.

But some other Spanish-speaking migrants reported signing paperwork that they later said they did not understand.

Jakelin and her father, Nery Gilberto Caal Cuz, were part of a group of 163 migrants arrested Dec. 6 near a border crossing in New Mexico.

Hours later, they were placed on a bus to the nearest Border Patrol station, but Jakelin began vomiting and stopped breathing. She later died at a Texas hospital.