Agents demonstrate the dangers of crossing the border

Published: Oct. 7, 2021 at 11:14 AM CDT
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LAREDO, TX. (KGNS) - The Laredo Sector Border Patrol has made more than 7,000 rescues which makes up of over 55 percent of the rescues in the entire agency.

As a result, they are releasing a video with an important message for those who are considering making the dangerous trek to cross the U.S. illegally.

On Tuesday, Border Patrol uploaded a video on Facebook to raise awareness on the dangers of crossing illegally.

Using their social media platforms, they are aiming to target people who are thinking of making the journey.

Chief of Border Patrol for the Laredo Sector Matthew Hudak says there has been over 70 death of migrants this fiscal year.

Hudak says, “Not only is it the dangerous of smuggling and criminal organizations but it is also the dangerous related to the environment from the river to the heat to the rugged terrain. All of those are ways people’s lives could be in danger”.

Chief Hudak says people being smuggled into the U.S. are not brought into the country in the safest conditions.

He says, unfortunately they can’t always get to a migrant in need fast enough, which tragically becomes a body recovery effort.

Hudak says, “It’s frustrating to see people are putting themselves at risk that way; whether it’s locked in the back of a tractor trailer locked in a tanker car train or you know it’s very frustrating when we get that 911 call of somebody that is literally in their last minutes or hour of life calling for help.”

Despite the pandemic, the number of illegal crossings remains high.

Hudak says these numbers are not decreasing and agents have encountered migrants who are sick or covid positive.

Most of the deaths, according to the medical examiner have been due to the complication of COVID-19 while on their journey to U.S.

Hudak says that having COVID positive migrants is not only risking the lives of those who accompany them in their journey but also the Border Patrol agents who rescue them.

There are dangers not only for the migrants making the journey.

The agency also says that hundreds of positive coronavirus cases have been reported among agents.

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