Human-rights group asks Nueces County to support IRB-backed study of migrant death practices; county attorney requests confidentiality review
January 26, 2022 | Nueces County, Texas
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The South Texas Human Rights Center presented a request for support from the Nueces County Commissioners Court on Jan. 26, asking the court to authorize voluntary staff interviews and a letter backing a Texas State University Institutional Review Board (IRB) application for a research project on migrant death practices.
Presenter Mister Canales described the center's work in South Texas (water stations, a missing-migrants hotline and recoveries), saying the center's mission is humanitarian and focused on identification and improved protocols in counties where migrant deaths occur. He said the center seeks a court resolution in support of their research and authorization for voluntary conversations with staff; he emphasized the project is IRB-approved and not seeking proprietary data.
Several commissioners expressed immediate support and praise for the center's work. However, the county attorney noted legal concerns about confidentiality, voluntariness and the sensitivity of medical-examiner information and asked for an executive-session review before the court signs any letter of support or permits access to staff. The judge agreed to discuss the matter in executive session and to circulate the letter of support for attorney review before any action in open session.
The court did not adopt the requested resolution at the Jan. 26 meeting; instead it instructed the county attorney to review the letter, privacy safeguards and the parameters of any staff interviews and to return with a recommended approach.
Next steps: county attorney will vet the draft letter and research protocol for compliance with confidentiality and voluntariness safeguards and will advise the court in or after executive session.
Presenter Mister Canales described the center's work in South Texas (water stations, a missing-migrants hotline and recoveries), saying the center's mission is humanitarian and focused on identification and improved protocols in counties where migrant deaths occur. He said the center seeks a court resolution in support of their research and authorization for voluntary conversations with staff; he emphasized the project is IRB-approved and not seeking proprietary data.
Several commissioners expressed immediate support and praise for the center's work. However, the county attorney noted legal concerns about confidentiality, voluntariness and the sensitivity of medical-examiner information and asked for an executive-session review before the court signs any letter of support or permits access to staff. The judge agreed to discuss the matter in executive session and to circulate the letter of support for attorney review before any action in open session.
The court did not adopt the requested resolution at the Jan. 26 meeting; instead it instructed the county attorney to review the letter, privacy safeguards and the parameters of any staff interviews and to return with a recommended approach.
Next steps: county attorney will vet the draft letter and research protocol for compliance with confidentiality and voluntariness safeguards and will advise the court in or after executive session.
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