Border Patrol officials are pleading with immigrants not to attempt the perilous journey to the US after nine migrants recently drowned trying to cross the Rio Grande, according to a report.
Chief Patrol Agent Jason Owens of the Del Rio Sector issued a “warning of extreme importance” on Saturday about rising waters and dangerous currents.
“The currents of the Rio Grande have become more dangerous due to recent and continuing rainfall and more rain is forecasted for the coming week,” Owens said in a statement reported by Fox News.
“Despite these adverse conditions, U.S. Border Patrol, Del Rio Sector continues to encounter more than 100+, 200+ attempting to cross the Rio Grande daily,” it said.
Owens said at least nine people have died over the past several days trying to cross the border, and “in an effort to prevent further loss of life, we are asking everyone to please avoid crossing illegally.”
Officials in the US and Mexico continue to search for bodies along the Rio Grande after nine migrants died in the rain-swollen river last week.
The river, which usually runs about 3-feet-deep, surged to 5-feet-deep on Thursday because of heavy rains in the area and caused the water to run five times faster than normal.
Six bodies were recovered by US border officials while Mexican officials recovered three near Eagle Pass, Texas – one of the deadliest drownings at the border in recent history.
US agents rescued 37 people from the flooded waterway and detained another 16.
Mexican officials took 39 migrants into custody.
As the Biden administration struggles to handle the immigration crisis, the Del Rio Sector has become the busiest corridor for illegal crossings.
Migrants were stopped nearly 50,000 times in the sector in July.
The Rio Grande Valley came in second with about 35,000 apprehensions.
”READ FULL ARTICLE: https://nypost.com/2022/09/04/border-patrol-pleads-with-migrants-not-to-come-to-us-after-drownings/
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