EL PASO, Texas – Criminal organizations continue to place the lives of human beings to include small children at risk of injury as video shows agents detaining a family in the Ysleta area east of El Paso.
Saturday morning, Ysleta Border Patrol agents conducting surveillance in the area observed human smugglers guiding a family across the border and forcing a group to scale the 18-foot tall border barrier approximately six miles east of the Ysleta Port of Entry. While agents responded to the area, two of the five individuals, attached an unstable portable ladder and began to climb over. Agents responded quickly enough to prevent the final two female subjects from scaling the fence and potentially injuring themselves.
The group included a family of three from Guatemala traveling with a four-week-old infant. The group perilously waded across the Rio Grande river before two of the subjects scaled the border barrier and attempted to cross an irrigation canal. Although one of the two adult males from Mexico was able to carry the small child over the fence on his back, the mother found herself stuck near the top and needed assistance from her daughter to be safely removed.
Responding agents on one side of the barrier were able to reach the two male suspects carrying the child while agents took custody of the mother and her daughter on the other side of the barrier. All of the subjects were safely taken into custody without any further incident with no additional medical care requires and were processed accordingly.
“U.S. Border Patrol agents are often the first to respond to these types of dangerous situations and make quick decisions when rescuing individuals left recklessly in harm’s way by criminal organizations,” stated Chief Patrol Agent Gloria I. Chavez. “I’m extremely proud of the actions taken by our highly skilled agents bringing everyone in the group to safety without further injury.”
U.S. Customs and Border Protection welcomes assistance from the community. Citizens are encouraged to report suspicious activity to the U.S. Border Patrol while remaining anonymous by calling 1-800-635-2509.
Please visit www.cbp.gov to view additional news releases and other information pertaining to Customs and Border Protection. Follow us on Twitter at @USBPChiefEPT and @CBPWestTexas.