HOUSTON — The heroic actions of a U.S. Border Patrol agent were caught on video from above over the weekend.
It was one of three recent rescues made by officials, according to the agency.
McAllen Border Patrol Station agents working near Penitas, Texas were following footprints leading away from the river and into the United States. That’s when they said they came across a child in distress as he was attempting to stay above water while trying to cross a pond.
“The Guatemalan juvenile grabbed on to a branch but was unable to remain afloat. Without hesitation, an agent tied a rope around his waist and entered the pond to rescue the migrant,” stated USBP in a press release. “The agent successfully retrieved the juvenile from the pond.”
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Sunday afternoon, agents said a man from Mexico was found struggling in the Rio Grande. The U.S. Coast Guard patrolled the area and rescued the man. And on Monday morning, Brownsville-area border officials said they found five people near the levee there. They told agents there was a woman with a leg injury after she fell off a border wall. Agents were able to find and help the woman.
"Agents encounter migrants in distress daily and have rescued over 650 individuals in the #RGV in FY21," tweeted Chief Patrol Agent Brian Hastings.
Border Patrol processed all subjects accordingly, USBP noted.