EL PASO, Texas – U.S. Border Patrol Agents from the Ysleta Station rescued a person from the city’s irrigation canal who was trying to cross the border illegally last week.
On July 26, Ysleta Border Patrol Agents were conducting routine surveillance duties when they heard a cry for help. Border Patrol Agents raced to the area and observed one male individual clinging onto a steel ladder and in danger of being swept away by the fast moving and chilly waters of the American Canal.
Ysleta agents successfully pulled the subject to safety and a Border Patrol Emergency Medical Technician arrived on scene to medically evaluate the subject. The 26-year-old Honduran national was transported to a local hospital and was released a few hours later. The subject was subsequently returned to Mexico under Title 42.
“The coordination and quick response times of our agents and camera operators helped save this individual’s life,” stated El Paso Sector Chief Patrol Agent Gloria I. Chavez. “The video clearly shows the limited visibility under which the night time rescue was conducted, along with the danger posed by the force of the currents.”
This latest incident serves as a grim reminder of the many dangers faced by those who attempt to illegally cross the U.S./Mexico border through remote desert areas and dangerous waterways. It also reflects the type of courage carried out by the men and women of the U.S. Border Patrol on a daily basis as they continue to protect the lives of those they encounter along the southwest border.
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 the CBP website to view additional news releases and other CBP information and follow us on Twitter at @USBPChiefEPT and @CBPWestTexas.