EL PASO, Texas – U.S. Border Patrol Agents in the El Paso Sector rescued two migrants from drowning
inside of the American Canal near the Ysleta Port on Entry on Friday.
According to Claudio A. Herrera-Baeza with Border Patrol, agents got a call from an off duty agent in El Paso who said there were two illegal migrants scaling down the border barrier close to Midway Drive
and Cesar E. Chavez Highway/Loop 375.
Agents immediately searched the area and saw two people jump into the water canal, however, the current was strong and swept them downstream while they were struggling to stay afloat.
Agents immediately requested Emergency Medical Services and the El Paso Fire Department to
assist in rescuing the migrants.
One agent climbed down a canal ladder and was able to rescue the individuals by using a rescue rope flotation device to rescue the migrants who were from Ecuador and Brazil.
Both migrants were provided with medical attention, then transported to the El Paso Modular Centralized Processing Center for further processing.
El Paso Sector Border Patrol Chief Patrol Agent Gloria I. Chavez praised the quick actions of the border agents saying,
“Had it not been for the life-saving efforts of our Border Patrol Agents, these individuals could have
easily drowned. I am extremely proud of the heroic actions by our agents, this event once again illustrates that our agents will place themselves in harm’s way, or go any length, to render aid to those in need.”
According to Border Patrol, more than 404 rescues have already been performed so far in Fiscal Year 2022 in the El Paso Sector alone. Twenty-six of those rescues are water canal related.
The El Paso Sector has registered 56 migrant deaths. Twenty of these deaths are water canal related.
Many blame the Biden Administration for his open border policies that they say fuel the unprecedented surge of illegal migrants crossing the border each month.
So far in FY 2022 – more than 1.7 million illegal migrants have crossed the southern border with about 50% of those migrants allowed entry into the country.
