A Border Patrol agent from the Presidio Station rescued a female from the Rio Grande as she struggled to stay afloat.
“I’m extremely proud of the agent’s effort that resulted in a woman’s life being saved,” said Acting Chief Patrol Agent Chris T. Clem of the Big Bend Sector. “These actions epitomize the character of all of our agents.”
On July 25, 2020, an agent assigned to the Presidio Station in Big Bend Sector rescued a woman from the Rio Grande near Fort Leaton State Historic Site, approximately two miles east of Presidio, Texas. The agent was near the river and responded to a call for help from a male subject. As the agent assisted him out of the river, the individual stated that his daughter was also in the river and having difficulty. The agent observed a female struggling to stay afloat in the water and quickly reacted to help her. He was able lay on his chest and grab the female’s hands and bring her to the bank safely, saving her from drowning.
The father and daughter were identified as citizens of Mexico, medically cleared and expelled to Mexico.
Big Bend Sector Border Patrol agents, patrol 517 miles of the southwest border, an area that extends from Sierra Blanca, Texas to Sanderson, Texas. The Presidio Station area consists of the southern half of Presidio County, the third largest county in the state of Texas. The station is responsible for 113.8 border miles between the U.S. and Mexico and 1,100 square miles of area of responsibility.
The U.S. Border Patrol is made up of over 19,000 brave men and women who courageously secure our nation’s borders. Help us secure our homeland, find out more at cbp.gov/careers.