A baby from El Salvador was rescued by U.S. Border Patrol agents on May 1, according to a recent report by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP). Agents allegedly discovered the child among a group of thirteen illegal immigrants staying in a rural area.
When agents encountered the group of illegal immigrants near the Carrizo Springs Station Horse Patrol Unit, they noticed a 16-month-old baby. The child, who was with his undocumented mother, was allegedly having trouble breathing and became unresponsive.
Agents with the Del Rio Sector Border Patrol Search Trauma and Rescue (BORSTAR) quickly arrived on the scene and were able to save the baby’s life, according to the CBP. After administering medical aid, BORSTAR agents transported the child via helicopter to a San Antonio hospital.
It was later determined that the baby, who is reportedly still in the hospital, was suffering from extreme dehydration.
In reaction to the rescue, BORSTAR Commander Timothy Hay said in a statement:
Our agents on the rescue team and at the stations have rescued more children over the last month than I’ve seen in 15 years. When agents found the 18-year-old mother with her baby, he was having difficulty breathing and was unresponsive. The baby was very lucky that his mother was apprehended and that we had medically trained agents in the area. If any one of these things hadn’t happened when they did, this infant wouldn’t have had a chance at surviving this dangerous journey.
The CBP report on the incident stated:
Smugglers attempt to cross groups in areas that are extremely remote and uninhabited in hopes of avoiding apprehension and detection by U.S. Border Patrol. Unfortunately, they do not take into consideration the ages and abilities of the members of the groups they are smuggling. There is a complete disregard for safety and human life by the transnational criminal organizations responsible for trafficking undocumented aliens along the southern border.
Zack Taylor, Chairman of the National Association of Former Border Patrol Officers, told Breitbart Texas that it is common for Border Patrol agents to save the lives of people who illegally enter the United States.
He said, “We used to do that on a near daily basis; it is very common. A lot of the rescued aliens end up going straight to medical care. Either the city, the county, or the federal government ultimately pays for that.”
“The primary concern in these kinds of situations is always the condition of the rescued person,” Taylor added. “Sometimes we realized they had been injured or had a condition after we took them into custody.”
Daniel Tirado, a spokesman for Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol Sector, spoke with Breitbart Texas and added that even though illegal immigrants risk being deported, they are often grateful to be rescued by agents. “Oftentimes, agents are reaching immigrants before they are exposed to dangers. A lot of the rescued individuals are removed from the country. But usually they’re glad to be rescued,” he said.
Breitbart Texas has reported on numerous incidents involving Border Patrol agents rescuing illegal immigrants since the new year.
In early May, agents rescued two
Another recent case reported by Breitbart Texas Managing Director Brandon Darby involved the U.S. Border Patrol rescuing a drowning 5-year-old Honduran girl who disappeared below the water of the Rio Grande River.
Follow Kristin Tate on Twitter @KristinBTate.
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