LAREDO, Texas – Working together, Laredo Sector Border Patrol agents and U.S. Army soldiers assigned in support of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), rescued two undocumented individuals in the Rio Grande River.
The rescues occurred during the early morning of May 11, when several undocumented individuals attempted to cross the Rio Grande River illegally into the United States. U.S. Army soldiers assigned to support CBP in the area observed two of the seven individuals in the group struggling to stay afloat. One of the soldiers immediately jumped into the river and utilized a rescue disk to pull the individual to the U.S. riverbank. Simultaneously, an agent assigned to the Laredo South station along with another soldier, jumped into the river to rescue the other individual.
The undocumented individuals, who were from Mexico, did not require further medical assistance after initial evaluation. All were taken into custody for further investigation.
The soldiers, who are under the operational command of U.S. Army North, U.S. Northern Command’s lead for this mission, are supporting CBP in the Laredo area. This is the third time this year that soldiers in support of CBP along the Southern border have helped save lives in the river. The river has areas with swift moving waters that are dangerous to those who attempt to cross.
The Department of Defense (DOD) has a long history of supporting efforts to secure U.S. borders. U.S. Northern Command, through U.S. Army North, continues to work closely with the Department of Homeland Security and CBP to ensure the safety and security of our Nation’s borders through counterdrug operations, counter transnational organized crime efforts, and other transnational threats.
Despite the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Border Patrol agents, working with our DOD partners, continue to secure our borders while providing aid to those in need. Laredo Sector Border Patrol is committed to the mission of the agency to protect the American people by safeguarding our border along with enhancing the Nation’s economic prosperity.