ALAMO, Texas – Rio Grande Valley Sector (RGV) Border Patrol and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) teamed up in an effort to prevent loss of life.
On March 30, 2021, RGV Sector agents working with the Missing Migrant Program and USFWS deployed a rescue beacon in the Santa Anna Wildlife Refuge located in Alamo, Texas. The increase of activity in the refuge led to a concerning number of incidents.
Human smuggling and tourism through the area has led to multiple 911 emergency calls from lost illegal immigrants and tourists. A majority of these calls have been heat related issues, such as dehydration.
The rescue beacon was deployed in an area that will have the greatest impact on rescue efforts within the refuge. The beacon is equipped with lights and signage, making it visible to lost and distressed subjects from a distance. Currently, 14 rescue beacons are deployed throughout the Rio Grande Valley Sector, with plans to increase those numbers in the near future.
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