U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations agents rescued a migrant in distress on April 1, 2024 approximately 25 miles northeast of Laredo, Texas.
On Monday, a Laredo Air Branch AS-350 aircrew responded to Laredo Sector Border Patrol Dispatch reports of four lost migrants in the area that noted one migrant may be in need of immediate medical intervention. The aircrew searched the area by air and located the group. One of the migrants appeared to be laying on the ground and unresponsive.
The aircrew landed and an Aviation Enforcement Agent (AEA), who is also an Air and Marine Emergency Medical Services (AMEMS)-certified agent, responded to the scene. The AMO agent and migrants carried the unresponsive man out of thick vegetation and placed him on a nearby road where the agent continued to assess the man.
The AEA spoke with the migrants and learned that the man had run out of water. The group also drank from nearby ponds and cattle tanks which may have been contaminated. The migrants stated they had begun to feel sick and the man in distress became incoherent and fell to the ground. The AMO EMT determined the patient was severely dehydrated and suffering from heat exhaustion. He applied ice on the man’s neck and armpits and administered fluids. The man regained consciousness and began to show signs of coherency.
“Our agents remain ready to respond to situations like this,” stated Jonathan B. Taber, Director of Air and Marine Operations, Laredo Air Branch. “The ability of our agents to rapidly transition from a law enforcement role to conduct rescue operations where they can deliver immediate medical aid is crucial to saving lives.”
The AEA transferred the patient to a responding U.S. Border Patrol EMT. The migrant cooled down in the air-conditioned vehicle and received further care and evaluation.
In Fiscal Year 2023, AMO enforcement actions resulted in 1,004 arrests and 89,909 apprehensions of undocumented individuals, as well as the seizure or disruption of 256,883 pounds of cocaine, 2,049 pounds of fentanyl, 4,050 pounds of methamphetamine, 2,200 weapons, and $15.3 million.
