LAREDO, Texas — Three illegal aliens were rescued from the Rio Grande on April 1 after a vehicle pursuit tied to a suspected human smuggling operation ended in a crash. Multiple illegal aliens entered the river, and one illegal alien was presumed to have drowned.
The incident began when a Texas state trooper initiated a pursuit near Laredo of a vehicle suspected of involvement in human smuggling. The chase ended when the occupants abandoned the vehicle near a U.S. Army post staffed by Soldiers assigned to Joint Task Force-Southern Border (JTF-SB).
Six individuals exited the vehicle and entered the river, apparently attempting to return to Mexico. Four began to struggle against the strong current, prompting an immediate rescue response from local law enforcement and military personnel.
U.S. Army Spc. Alexa Aviles and Spc. Jahdaniel Garcia, assigned to the 442nd Military Police Company, 104th Military Police Battalion, 130th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, was monitoring the border when they heard radio traffic indicating the pursuit was approaching their sector.
“I saw the vehicle that was described over the radio run off the road and drive into the river," said Aviles. “The individuals quickly exited the SUV and jumped in the water and started swimming.”
Two suspects crossed the border into Mexico. The remaining four struggled in the current as they attempted to evade state troopers and Border Patrol agents.
“When I saw them struggling in the current, I immediately grabbed rope and flotation devices from our vehicle,” Garcia said. “My partner and I ran the supplies over to border patrol agents and state troopers.”
Working together, U.S. Border Patrol agents and U.S. Army Soldiers rescued three individuals from the water. One person went under and did not resurface, Garcia said. Local law enforcement later identified the body of the missing individual.
The incident highlights the dangers of human smuggling operations along the southern border, where fast-moving currents and hazardous conditions can quickly become life-threatening.
U.S. Northern Command established JTF-SB to execute full-scale, agile, and simultaneous multi-domain border operations. To protect the United States sovereignty, territorial integrity, and security from unlawful mass migration, narcotics trafficking, human smuggling and trafficking, and other criminal activities.