Del Rio Sector Border Patrol agents made multiple water rescues, saving the lives of seven adult migrants and an infant. Agents also rescued migrants locked in a dangerously hot rail car near Eagle Pass, Texas.
Del Rio Sector Chief Patrol Agent Jason D. Owens tweeted a video showing agents rescuing a group of four migrants who became trapped in the swiftly moving currents of the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass. The video shows the agents pulling the migrants from the chilled water of the border river that separates Texas and Mexico.
Owens reported the migrants became trapped in the middle of the river overnight. Despite the 100+ degree heat, the water temperature left one of the migrants suffering from hypothermia.
A few days earlier, Owens tweeted a photo from another dangerous border river crossing. An Eagle Pass Station Marine Unit rescued a family of four who became trapped in the river. The migrants included three young adult females and a one-year-old child.
In addition to the dangers of crossing the Rio Grande, migrants are also placed in dangerous human smuggling situations. One of those tactics is where smugglers lock migrants inside rail cars.
“Smugglers are still using these tactics, holding no regard for human life. Temperatures inside these confined spaces are often 25-40 degrees hotter than outside,” Chief Owens stated. “Your life is worth more. NEVER trust a smuggler!”