The Yuma Sector United States Border Patrol presented its annual Border Safety Event last Friday at the Air & Marine Operations hanger in Yuma, Arizona. The theme promoted awareness of the many life-threatening hazards—including exposure to the elements, dehydration, and drowning—that face anyone who attempts illegal entry through the Sonoran Desert.
Chief Patrol Agent Justin De La Torre emphasized the effectiveness of the Border Patrol’s Missing Migrant Program Initiative (MMPI), an intervention program designed to discourage illegal crossings and prevent accidental deaths in the wilderness. Since October 1, 2024, Yuma Sector experienced only 19 rescues and one death, compared to 6 deaths and 89 rescues from that timespan of the previous year.
A key component of the MMPI is 124 rescue signs across the desert between Yuma and Wellton that display the coordinates of its location with instructions in Spanish and English to call 911. There are also 24 rescue beacons where a lost migrant can simply press a button to activate a signal for help.
Keynote speaker Chief De La Torre, addressing the many dangers of illegal entry, stated that migrants often underestimate the environmental hazards of crossing the border and fail to consider the grave threat by placing your life in the hands of the cartels. “It’s not worth losing your life,” he warned, “or being exploited by criminals.”
After Chief De La Torre’s comments, representatives from the consulates of Mexico, Guatemala, and Ecuador updated the gathering with their country’s latest efforts to promote the U.S. Border Patrol’s safety initiative and discourage illegal border crossings. The gathering concluded with a question-and-answer session.
The original announcement can be found here.
