Human Smugglers Throw Two Disabled Migrants into Border River, Say Feds

Del Rio Sector Border Patrol agents say they witnessed Mexican cartel-connected human smugglers toss two disabled migrants into the Rio Grande. Agents rescued the men shortly thereafter.

A Del Rio Sector BORSTAR team observed a group of 12 migrants crossing the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass, Texas. The agents say the smugglers carried one of the migrants, a double amputee, to the riverbank and threw him into the water. The man immediately began having trouble staying afloat, according to Del Rio Sector officials.

While the agents pulled the distressed migrant toward the safety of the U.S. side of the river, the agents observed the smugglers carrying another migrant, this one a paraplegic, to the riverbank. The smugglers threw the migrant into the river and he almost immediately began to drown, officials stated. Agents already in the water swam to the distressed migrant while other agents still on the ground jumped in and completed the rescue of the first migrant.

Despite the strong river currents, the agents reached the drowning man in time.

Officials reported that both migrants are Honduran nationals. The agents offered both men medical attention but the migrants refused treatment.

“Smuggling organizations have little concern for the wellbeing of innocent individuals and show no remorse,” Del Rio Sector Chief Patrol Agent Raul L. Ortiz said in a written statement. “I commend our agents for acting swiftly during this emotionally charged situation.”

The agents transported both of the migrants to the Eagle Pass South Station for processing.

Two months ago, Del Rio Sector agents rescued a wheelchair-bound double amputee after human smugglers abandoned him on an island in the middle of the river, Breitbart News reported.

The agents responded to the scene and learned the man was a 37-year-old double amputee from Guatemala, according to Del Rio Sector officials.

The wheelchair-bound migrant told the agents an unlikely story that he crossed the river to the island on his own and was unable to continue from there. The agents assisted the man who illegally crossed into the U.S. to shore where land-based agents provided transportation to the Eagle Pass Station for processing on immigration violations.