Migrant family saved from drowning by Texas agent after Rio Grande crossing goes awry

A household of migrants was rescued from a watery grave Thursday by a Texas Division of Public Security agent after they had been caught in a present whereas trying to cross the Rio Grande from Mexico.

New pictures and video solely obtained by The Publish present the household of 9 wading by the water close to Eagle Cross, Texas, round 5:15 p.m. native time.

As the present took them, the group might be heard yelling for assist as Nationwide Guard officers watched from the shore.

Earlier than the household might be swept downstream, the agent — wearing a pink shirt and carrying sun shades — jumped into the river with a life preserver ring and helped carry at the very least one of many younger youngsters within the group as he ushered the remainder to shore.

The Publish was not instantly in a position to additional establish the person.

As soon as on US soil, the household was taken to an ambulance, the place the youngsters had been evaluated by members of the Eagle Cross Fireplace Division.

Ultimately, the household was processed and put in a US Customs and Border Safety van.

It was not instantly clear the place the migrants hailed from or the place they supposed to journey as soon as coming into the US. The world the place they had been trying to cross the river is understood for quickly altering water ranges.

Eagle Cross is positioned within the Border Patrol’s Del Rio sector — which noticed the very best variety of migrant encounters ever reported by CBP for the month of June (45,225). The Rio Grande Valley adopted intently with 44,667 encounters.

Since Oct. 1 of final 12 months, the Del Rio sector has seen 326,177 encounters, a greater than 118% improve from the identical interval 12 month earlier, which solely noticed 149,062 encounters.

General, CBP officers recorded 207,416 migrant encounters in June, for a complete of 1,746,119 stops alongside the southern border since Oct. 1 — probably the most the company has recorded for any fiscal 12 months since 1960.

The inflow of border crossings in Eagle Cross has strained Border Patrol sources within the area, USBP Del Rio Sector Chief Jason Owens instructed San Antonio’s KENS5 this week.

Owens revealed that his brokers encountered roughly 3,431 migrants this previous weekend alone — and have been coping with teams of greater than 300 individuals every day.

“This can be a — this isn’t regular visitors for the Del Rio Sector. It’s one thing that this sector has by no means seen earlier than,” he stated.

“We don’t have the natural sources obtainable to us proper now to cope with the circulate that we’re seeing.”

To assist with processing the brand new arrivals, Owens revealed that officers from different sectors throughout the state have stepped in, calling it “an all-hands-on-deck effort.”

CBP didn’t instantly reply to The Publish’s request for remark.