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  4. Expected record heat presents perilous situations in the Rio Grande Valley

Expected record heat presents perilous situations in the Rio Grande Valley

Release Date
Wed, 05/30/2018

EDINBURG, Texas – The U.S. Border Patrol Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Sector has seen an increase in illicit border activity.

High Temperatures are coming to the Rio Grande Valley
High temperatures are coming to the
Rio Grande Valley

As the RGV continues to experience an increase in apprehensions for fiscal year 2018, the dangers associated with being smuggled into the United States is also elevated due to record heat. 100 degree temperatures are predicted by The National Weather Service for the upcoming weeks.

The RGV has experienced a 67% increase in the disruption of stash houses and a 33% increase in the number of tractor trailer smuggling cases when comparing fiscal year to date (FYTD) 2017 to FYTD 2018.

These upticks, combined with the rising temperatures, create a potentially deadly situation as smugglers continue to utilize desperate tactics that endanger immigrants’ lives.

This past Saturday, the Falfurrias Border Patrol Station was contacted by the Brooks County Sheriff’s Office regarding a 911 caller who was lost in the brush. Agents responded to the call and located a Guatemalan national who was abandoned by smugglers. The man was immediately transported to a local hospital to be treated for heat related injuries.

“The Rio Grande Valley Sector has recorded 57 deaths for fiscal year 2018, and the summer months are looming,” said Chief Patrol Agent Manuel Padilla, Jr. “The victims in human smuggling will always be the immigrants; smugglers see them as a commodity.”

The public is encouraged to take a stand against crime in their communities and to help save lives by reporting suspicious activity at 800-863-9382. 

Please visit www.cbp.gov to view additional news releases and other information pertaining to Customs and Border Protection. Follow us on Twitter at @CBPRGV.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Last Modified: Jun 02, 2023