For years, immigration advocates complained that U.S. Border Patrol agents were more focused on stopping border-crossers than helping people who got lost. But a renewed emphasis on rescuing migrants is leading to more rescues.
, an initiative started in 2017 aimed at assisting lost migrants and coordinating with local authorities to identify remains.
Officials have erected"rescue beacons" across the border where migrants could press a button and a signal will alert authorities to their precise location. Border Patrol has increased its coordination with local authorities and groups, such as Aguilas del Desierto, to bolster rescue attempts. The sheer number of people arriving at the border also leads to more rescues, Rodriguez said. Last fiscal year, authorities encountered 2.4 million asylum-seekers at the Southwest border – a new U.S. record, according to CBP statistics.
Rodriguez said his group has also seen an increase in phone calls asking for help. His group fields about 30 phone calls a day from stranded migrants or their families, about twice as many calls than there were a few years ago. Workers then pass along the information to Border Patrol officers, he said. Also, migrants these days tend to carry smartphones, which help them call and pinpoint their location coordinates for rescues, Rodriguez said.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Arizona Border Patrol Agent Carries Injured Migrant Down MountainsideA Tucson Sector Border Patrol agent rescued an injured migrant by carrying him down the side of a mountain near the Arizona-Mexico border.
Read more »
Border patrol agents plead for resources as Biden touts recent drop in illegal crossings'We really need to have that balance between immigration and border security, and get...
Read more »
Severity of border crisis exposed during House Oversight Committee hearing -SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – During a hearing by the House Oversight Committee titled “On The Front Lines of the Border Crisis: A Hearing with Chief Patrol Agents,” Border Patrol agents spoke up about the crisis at the border. In 2022, 700 pounds of fentanyl were confiscated both at the border and in the field. This is enough to kill half...
Read more »
Border hawks say failure to pass border security bill would betray GOP 'Commitment to America'Conservative groups who oppose illegal immigration are demanding that the Republican House majority take immediate action to secure the border.
Read more »