Skip to main content

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

  • Archived Content
    In an effort to keep CBP.gov current, the archive contains content from a previous administration or is otherwise outdated.
  1. Home
  2. Newsroom
  3. Local Media Release
  4. Agent Ingenuity Helps Rescue

Agent Ingenuity Helps Rescue

Release Date
Thu, 09/03/2020

TUCSON, Ariz. – U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Tucson Sector rescued two distressed migrants stranded high atop a mountain trail south of Sierra Vista, Tuesday afternoon.

Agents were routed a 911 call from two men, ages 23 and 29, who claimed to be lost along a trail in the rugged Huachuca Mountain range around 1:45 p.m. The men told agents they were exhausted, injured and in desperate need of medical attention.

Agents rescued two illegal aliens from atop the Huachuca Mt. in Cochise County, AZ.
Agents rescued two illegal aliens from atop the
Huachuca Mt. in Cochise County, AZ.

Due to the difficult terrain, 911 was not able to sufficiently pinpoint their location on the mountain.  Agents working in the Joint Intelligence and Operations Center (JIOC) were able to communicate with the stranded migrants and explained how to determine their GPS location from their smartphone.  With the new coordinates, agents were able to quickly pinpoint and hike to their location and rescued the two men before they succumbed to the harsh environment. After escorting the men to safety, agents transported them to a local area hospital for non-life threatening injuries.

Both Mexican national men were found to be illegally present in the United States. They will be expelled from the country under Title 42 authority once qualified professionals determine them to be medically fit for travel.

Anyone in immediate distress in Arizona’s vast outdoor recreational and wilderness areas is urged to call 911 or to seek out a rescue beacon. Agents will try any and all resources to save a life. The resourcefulness and ingenuity of the JIOC agents saved precious and critical time making the difference for these two men. All too often, callous smugglers will lead migrants into remote areas with limited or no phone coverage in search of profits.  CBP works closely with other federal, tribal, state and local partners to resolve search and rescue operations across southern Arizona.

 

For more details regarding this news release, contact the Tucson Sector Public Affairs Office at tca-pao@cbp.dhs.gov or by phone at 520-748-3210. Tucson Sector is also LiveU capable. Contact us to schedule an interview.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between official ports of entry. CBP is charged with securing the borders of the United States while enforcing hundreds of laws and facilitating lawful trade and travel.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021