LAREDO, Texas – Laredo Sector Border Patrol agents rescued a Guatemalan national from drowning in the Rio Grande.
On Dec. 1, Laredo Sector agents observed a migrant struggling to stay afloat in the river near El Cenizo, Texas. A Border Patrol agent jumped in the river and brought the migrant, a Guatemalan national, to shore. Border Patrol agents tended to him, and he did not require additional medical attention.
The migrant was taken into Border Patrol custody and records checks were conducted. It was revealed the migrant was in the country illegally from Guatemala. The undocumented individual was processed according to his individual immigration status.
CBP’s message for anyone who is thinking of entering the United States illegally along the southwest border is simple: don’t do it. When noncitizens cross the border unlawfully, they put their lives in peril. The U.S. Border Patrol has undertaken significant efforts in recent years to expand capacity to aid and rescue individuals in distress. To prevent the loss of life, CBP initiated a Missing Migrant Program in 2017 that locates noncitizens reported missing, rescues individuals in distress, and reunifies decedents’ remains with their families in the border region. In October 2023, the U.S. Border Patrol conducted 1,198 rescues.
Laredo Sector Border Patrol urges migrants not to place their lives at risk attempting to cross the border illegally.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection welcomes assistance from the community. Citizens are encouraged to report suspicious activity to the Laredo Sector Border Patrol while remaining anonymous at 1-800-343-1994.