EL PASO, TX--At approximately 10:00 A.M. on November 1, 2017, Border Patrol Agents responded to activity west of Executive Center Boulevard, near Mesa Drive on El Paso’s west side. Four subjects were seen by Agents exiting the storm drains located in close proximity of the Angry Owl restaurant. Agents suspected they entered the country illegally and approached the four subjects. Agents were able to quickly determine the individuals entered the country illegally. As a precaution, agents called for assistance from the Border Patrol’s “Confined Space Entry Team” (CSET) to search the storm drains for others who may have become separated or lost from the group. CSET team members responded to the site and entered the storm drains at approximately 10:30 A.M. to conduct a thorough search. After an hour-and-a-half of searching, agents concluded that no other suspects remained in the drains, and the area was cleared.
The initial four illegal aliens were deemed in good health and transported to the Santa Teresa Border Patrol Station for processing.
This incident comes just a few days after agents rescued other illegal immigrants from a storm drain near the downtown El Paso area. In that instance, one female suffered what appeared to be a broken ankle and was unable to continue her trek through the storm drain. An agent had to carry her on his back while crawling out of the drainage tunnel on his hands and knees. These latest smuggling attempts are continued examples of how the unscrupulous smugglers continue to put the lives of undocumented immigrants at risk. If not for the immediate action and diligence by Border Patrol Agents and the specialty teams that train for such life-saving or critical events, the outcomes could have been deadly.