TUCSON, Ariz. – Tucson Sector Border Patrol agents responded to five 9-1-1 calls and two rescue beacon activations, locating 12 migrants lost in the desert southwest of Tucson over the weekend.
Protection
On Saturday, agents from the Ajo station responded to two separate rescue beacon activations in the Cabeza Prieta Wildlife Refuge, finding four Hondurans and one Mexican national illegally present in the country. Everyone appeared to be in good health and did not require any medical attention.
Later that afternoon, Casa Grande Station agents assisted by a Border Patrol Search Trauma and Rescue team responded to three separate 9-1-1 distress calls from migrants lost in the desert.
After extensive searches, agents were able to find all the respective callers, and several additional persons, who traveled with them. Five foreign nationals from Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, were taken into custody. An adult man in one of the groups required medical attention and was transported to local area hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
On Sunday afternoon Three Points Station agents responded to two separate distress calls. The callers claimed to be lost in the desert for multiple days after crossing the border illegally. Although tired and frightened, both men were found in good health.
All foreign nationals taken into custody during the rescue efforts will be processed for immigration violations.
In the Tucson Sector’s harsh desert environment, border security operations often turn into humanitarian rescue missions. Border Patrol officials encourage anyone in distress, or witnessing others in distress, to call 911 or activate a rescue beacon before a casualty occurs.