Photo of drowned father, child triggers debate over Trump's asylum policies

Deaths are not uncommon, with travellers exposed to violence from criminals as well as the treacherous waters of the Rio Grande and desert heat

A harrowing photo of a Salvadoran migrant and his young daughter who drowned in the Rio Grande at the US -Mexico border became the focus on Wednesday of a US political debate over President Donald Trump’s asylum policies.

The picture of Oscar Alberto Martinez, 25, and his 24-month-old daughter Angie Valeria put a renewed focus on the plight of refugees and migrants who are mostly from Central America. The pair had travelled from El Salvador and were seeking asylum in the United States.

US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders called the image “horrific” and said the president’s migration clampdown made deaths more likely.

“Trump’s