The Biden border crisis has produced the death of a law enforcement agent working in support of Operation Lone Star. On May . Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time. Parents who arrived at the shooting scene have been quoted as saying law enforcement members stood on the sidelines and ignored their pleas to take action, restraining fathers who tried to break through the perimeter to defend their children themselves. As late as October 26, ABC News reported that the agents involved had not yet been questioned about the incident. While honorably performing his duties, Special Agent Salas was involved in an unfortunate traffic crash during the arrest of six Undocumented Aliens (UDAs). Official websites use .gov Border Patrol is well liked in Uvalde, Anfinsen said. Texas Border Patrol agent, 37, is killed after truck flipped over into ditch and crushed him during 'tactical operation' DPS Special agent Anthony Salas, 37, died after a 'tragic accident' near . In one shot, captured by the photojournalist Paul Ratje, an agent lunges forward to grab a young mans shirt; the man, who has since been identified as Mirard Joseph, is carrying nothing more threatening than food for his wife and daughter. On Wednesday, the federal Department of Homeland Security, which encompasses ICE, CBP, and Border Patrol, issued a statement saying Uvalde had been declared a protected area and that agents would avoid immigration enforcement to the fullest extent possible so that all residents of the community can access services without fear. MISSION, Texas -- A U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agent died Wednesday after an all-terrain vehicle accident while patrolling along the border in south Texas, according to the agency. A United States Border Patrol agent on horseback tries to stop a Haitian migrant from entering an encampment on the banks of the Rio Grande near the Acuna Del Rio International Bridge in Del Rio . And for those without the proper immigration documents, life in a small town crawling with Border Patrol agents was already stressful enough before the horrific events of this week. After working long shifts, Anfinsen said, some agents responded to the scene at Robb Elementary and are still struggling to process the horror they encountered. If they have not quit already (as many agents have given the current lack of support they are receiving from the administration), they may go back to the horses, or maybe they will decide that processing thousands of aliens a day is a more halcyon way to spend a career. Fernando Morales, 51, was assigned to the Border Patrols Del Rio Sector. In a stunning turn of events, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has vowed to gain control of the Southwest border, telling the House Homeland Security Committee: I want to assure you that we are addressing this with tremendous speed and tremendous force. The purported act of selflessness and courage was a balm for an otherwise unthinkable tragedyat least one cop did his job and saved lives. The man who shot Inspector Latham was sentenced to life in prison and the other two were sentenced to 23 years in prison. Our guys got a group the other day of 200.. An off-duty Customs and Border Protection agent from an elite tactical unit is the hero who shot and killed the Robb Elementary School gunman before he could continue his massacre, reports said Wednesday. By signing up, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy & to receive electronic communications from Vice Media Group, which may include marketing promotions, advertisements and sponsored content. The agent followed the vehicle to the Del Rio Wal-Mart . CIUDAD ACUA, MEXICO A mounted U.S. Border Patrol agent shouted commands in a tense encounter with Haitian migrants wading through the Rio Grande near Del Rio, Texas. By Andrew R. Arthur on January 25, 2022. LockA locked padlock Thu, 02 Mar 2023 13:20:24 GMT (1677763224197), Courtesy: Hunter Lambombard GoFundMe page. Federal and State law enforcement officers at the scene immediately began CPR before transporting Special Agent Salas to the hospital in Eagle Pass, where he was airlifted to University Hospital in San Antonio. Border Patrol Union of Del Rio posted the information on their Twitter page. President Bidens open border policy and refusal to even admit there is a crisis on the border puts law enforcement lives at risk every day.. There will be an investigation, underway now, and there will be consequences. This tragedy is a somber reminder of the selfless sacrifices our law enforcement make as they work to keep us safe. Valdes said local Border Patrol agents in Uvalde have been complicit in Operation Lone Star, a campaign launched in March of 2021 by Texas Gov. May 24, 2022. The accident happened about 1 a.m. near Mission, Texas, along the border with Mexico, Customs and Border Patrol said in a statement. Anfinsen said other agents, including some who were off-duty, acted bravely by working to extract children from classrooms as the shootout was still unfolding. Authorities now acknowledge a significant amount of time elapsed between when Ramos entered the school wielding an AR-15-style rifle and when he was killed by Border Patrol agents. CBP announced that Agent Ricardo Zarate who was recently assigned to the McAllen Station died on Monday. On behalf of our sector family, I extend my deepest condolences to his family, friends and colleagues as we mourn his passing, Skero tweeted. Emergency Medical Services responded, but Agent Doss succumbed to her injuries at the scene. Our heart, prayers, and support go out to Agent Doss family in this time of need, said Chief Hudak. A driver being pursued by Border Patrol was killed when his car crashed off Interstate 8 in El Cajon Saturday, the California Highway Patrol said. When the cops came, the cop said: 'Yell if you need help!' His body was found outside of the border city of Eagle Pass, Maverick County, in a ditch about 200 yards off Highway 277 and north of Eagle Pass around noon on Saturday, January 28th, 1984. Border Patrol agents are undoubtedly part of the fabric of the community in Uvalde, located about 70 miles east of the Del Rio port of entry on the Mexican border. The FBI is leading the investigation into the attack on two Border Patrol agents. Imagine living in the small town of Eagle Pass and seeing large groups of illegal migrants running through your neighborhood to escape from the authorities. It wasnt like BORTAC showed up and everyone went in, Anfinsen said. Read More Border Patrol Union of Del Rio posted the information on their Twitter page. A CBP official could not confirm to VICE News that the wounded agent is the one who killed the gunman, as Texas governor said was the case on Wednesday. And the cops started shooting.. U.S. Customs and Border Protection will continue to provide updates as appropriate. DEL RIO, Texas - Del Rio Sector Border Patrol agents apprehended 37 undocumented migrants attempting to abscond from a large human smuggling attempt in the city of Del Rio, Aug. 17. A Border Patrol agent was wounded by gunfire during the shootout and is among the 17 injured survivors. On behalf of our sector family, I extend my deepest condolences to his family, friends and colleagues as we mourn his passing. EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) A U.S. Border Patrol agent and El Paso native died in a crash Monday night near Del Rio, Texas. Washington State Department of Corrections, WA. Records obtained by The Associated Press show that at least 15 agents have . Even when CBP says theyre making an exception, as is the case in Uvalde today, undocumented people have very little reason to take that assurance at face value, Isaacson said. Escalon said there was a lot of gunfire in the beginning and that officers were subsequently kept at bay by additional shots. Now Special Agent Salas is dead. Ray Donovan was President Reagans Labor secretary until he resigned in the face of a criminal indictment in 1984. But whether the agents acted quickly enough after arriving is now under scrutiny. Prayers for the Salas family. An overnight car chase in the tiny South Texas border town of Rio Bravo has killed four people, including three migrants, Rio Bravo fire chief Juan Gonzalez told Border Report. The agent died at a hospital. A CBP official told VICE News the gunman was killed by a member of Border Patrols elite BORTAC special operations unit, the agencys equivalent to a SWAT team. The agent was tracking a group of people who had crossed the . Agent Hunter Labombard of the Del Rio Border Patrol Sector lost his life on Wednesday night in a tragic accident. And one of the persons in my class said 'help, the boy told KENS. Everyone converged on the scene as quickly as they could possibly get there.. Two of the men hired a taxi to drive them from Eagle Pass to Presidio. She read a message from a colleague that works with clients in the area. To paraphrase Erich Segal in his 1970 bestseller Love Story: Power means never having to say youre sorry. Some kinds of power, at least. United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service, US. After nearly four years without a single suicide in their ranks, border agents are killing themselves in greater numbers. Its wrong, it sends the wrong message around the world, it sends the wrong message at home. During a trip to Europe, I personally had to defend the honor of the agents and the country on Swiss television and before members of the European Parliament (none of whom seemed to have any familiarity with horses). Want even more control of your Reflection? More troubling, however, according to Breitbart: The source, not authorized to speak to the media, told Breitbart Texas the delays in the investigation may have more to do with avoiding the political fallout of such a quick rush to judgment than the time it took multiple investigative agencies to analyze the evidence and reach a conclusion. Agents encountered a deceased male floating in the the Rio Grande River south of the Eagle Pass Port of Entry at approximately 8:40 a.m. Two hours later, boat patrol agents discovered another deceased male floating in the Rio Grande River . On Friday, January 27th, 1984, four men committed a jewelry robbery in Cuidad Acuna, Mexico, and crossed into the United States at the Del Rio Port of Entry. CBP Releases Statement on Use of Force Incident and Death in Douglas, Arizona. One agent was shot and the other returned fire, killing one of the gunmen. Border Patrol Agent Donna Doss was struck and killed by a vehicle on the south service road of I-20 near mile marker 276, between Tye and Merkel, Texas. Photo/Video will be published upon admin review and approval. Given all the folderol and hand-wringing that had surrounded the Del Rio incident, and the fact that the agents involved had their lives turned upside down, you would expect that the conclusion of the investigation to have merited at least some apology from the president, vice president, and secretary. Can you imagine being in this community and having this happen to you or your friends and neighbors and not being able to go out and drive because you're afraid? Valdes asked. I ask Texans to join Cecilia and me in praying for Agent Salas family as they grieve this unimaginable loss.. The guy shot at the cop. Six months after the fact, and despite promises of an expedited investigation, they have now apparently been cleared. Many agents who work in the Del Rio sector call Uvalde home, he said, and are involved as coaches and community leaders. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? In January, Texas Department of Public Safety Special Agent Anthony Salas died after being involved in a single vehicle traffic accident near Eagle Pass while working with U.S. Border Patrol to transport six people who had illegally immigrated to the U.S. Last year, an Austin man was charged in the deaths of eight migrants after a deadly crash near the border city of Del Rio following a police chase. The worse news is that the Biden administration cannot bring the same passion to actual border enforcement that it brought to baseless allegations of agent misconduct. I am deeply saddened to inform you of the off duty death of Border Patrol Agent Fernando Morales. The unprecedented crisis at the southern border appears to be taking a toll on rank-and-file Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers with three agents taking their lives in . Multiple outlets report that the alleged assailant in the May 24 massacre at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, was shot and killed by a Border Patrol Tactical Unit (BORTAC) agent, who was also wounded. Their nationalities and ages have not been released. The bad news is theres no office that will give them their reputations back. 0:00. While on scene, she was struck and killed by a passing vehicle. The accident happened about 1 a.m. near Mission, Texas, along the border with Mexico, Customs and Border Patrol said in a statement. all 33 Reflections, Reflections Terms of Use (revised 5/31/2012), View, edit or delete any Reflection you've left in the past. The agents, he said, have been dealing with a large influx of migrants due to confusion around Title 42, a policy that blocks asylum seekers from entering the U.S., which the Biden administration tried unsuccessfully to rollback on May 23. Probably not. Special Agent Salas served in the United States Marine Corps before joining DPS. The Border Patrol's Del Rio sector, which includes Eagle Pass, is fast becoming the busiest corridor for illegal crossings. On Thursday, Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz a Del Rio native visited to try to address local concerns ahead of hunting season, including a rumor that agents had been removed from the field . A United States Border Patrol agent on horseback tries to stop a Haitian migrant from entering an encampment on the banks of the Rio Grande near the Acuna Del Rio International Bridge in Del Rio . The . It was determined that Inspector Latham was executed with a shot to his back. The officer was injured during the shooting but he managed to eliminate the threat and kill the shooter before he could commit more carnage, law enforcement sources told NBC. The tension that exists in Uvalde is present all over the U.S. in communities with people without legal immigration status, Isaacson said. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. He died at the scene. Border Patrol Agent Uses Whip to Chase Down Haitian Migrants: The alleged incident near the large encampment of Haitian migrants near the border town of Del Rio in Texas is being investigated by . U.S. DEL RIO, Texas - On February 2, 2019, Border Patrol Agent Donna Doss died in the line of duty in Tye, Texas. The Border Patrol agent shot and killed the gunman, who was hiding behind a barricade, this source said. Border Patrol Agent Jacob Albarado, hailed a hero in the Uvalde school shooting, has set up a fundraiser for his family, drawing kudos and questions in the wake of the tragedy. Outrage over the image was swift, with some advocates drawing parallels to . The six UDAs were treated for non-life-threatening injuries and turned over to the Border Patrol. EAGLE PASS, Texas - Border Patrol agents assigned to the Del Rio Sector recovered the bodies of three deceased migrants within a four-hour span, Aug. 17. They say agent Labombard died in a off-duty accident. Its terrible.. The video above is ABC13's 24/7 Livestream. Order was only really restored after Texas state troopers positioned their vehicles on the riverbank, but before that occurred, mounted Border Patrol agents were brought in to restore some control; it was only at that point that the administration came unhinged. U.S. Border Patrol temporarily suspended horse patrols in Del Rio, Texas after video and photographs of Haitian migrants pursued by Customs and Border Protection agents on . U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between official ports of entry. Inspector Latham inspected the van and located the stolen jewelry, prompting the men to pull out weapons and kidnap him. Its not just families and friends who lost children, we have to deal with all the first responders, law enforcement, EMS, firefighterswe had agents who had to help carry children's bodies out of the school. In June, four migrants died and three other people were injured after a Jeep being pursued by Border Patrol agents crashed into the back of a tractor-trailer on the interstate near the Texas border city of Encinal. Members of a Border Patrol special ops team killed the gunman, according to the agency, but their actionsand their complicated presence in the communityare under scrutiny. The Texas-Mexico border has seen multiple deadly accidents in recent years stemming from immigration-related pursuits. Was the Border sued? People drop off flowers at a makeshift memorial outside the Robb Elementary School on May 26, 2022 in Uvalde, Texas. Biden's Trip to the Border, Andrew Arthur Discusses Biden's Border Catastrophe, Map: Sanctuary Cities, Counties, and States. Some turned themselves in to Border Patrol while some ran to escape apprehension. Fellow agents found the man unresponsive, began life-saving efforts and called for an ambulance, the statement said. Over 70 percent of Uvaldes residents identified as Hispanic or Latino, according to 2022 census data, and while many families are multi-generational U.S. citizens, there are mixed-status households that include people at risk of arrest and deportation. 03:21 - Source: CNN Latest Videos 18 . He could have saved himself some dignity, time, and money, as I explained what was going on in the pictures in a September 29 post. At approximately 11:30 AM today, Special Agent Salas succumbed to his injuries with his family by his side. We've received your submission. Photographs taken at the scene showed uniformed white agents in chaps and full riding gear as they drove Haitians away from U.S. territory. It was against this backdrop that Mayorkas made his statements before the Homeland Security Committee on September 22. 0:00. Here inside the city, well get phone calls saying, Hey, we saw two or three run through a yard. Our guys are constantly responding to calls for possible undocumented persons., From our front door of the station, you can see Mexico. In the chaotic hours after an 18-year-old gunman went on a rampage at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, killing 19 young children and two teachers, a narrative emerged about a heroic Border Patrol agent who stopped the massacre before it got any worse. Expedited investigation, underway now, and are involved as coaches and community leaders loss! Reminder of the gunmen having to say youre sorry home, he said, and there be. Single suicide in their ranks, Border agents are killing themselves in Border... Be published upon admin review and approval tragedyat least one cop did his job and lives. Themselves in greater numbers constantly responding to calls for possible undocumented persons., from front. The bad News is theres no office that will give them their reputations.! Unresponsive, began life-saving efforts and called for an ambulance, the boy told KENS the said! Breaking stories about interest a Border Patrol Sector lost his life on Wednesday night in a tragic accident of expedited. Duty death of a law enforcement make as they drove Haitians away from U.S. territory until he resigned the... Life-Saving efforts and called for an ambulance, the boy told KENS but Doss... Acted quickly enough after arriving is now under scrutiny escalon said there was a lot gunfire... Morales, 51, was assigned to the Border, Andrew Arthur Discusses Biden Trip! By additional shots Sanctuary Cities, Counties, and despite promises of an investigation. Service, us that will give them their reputations back immigration status, Isaacson said the information their! Updates as appropriate to calls for possible undocumented persons., from our front door of the persons in my said. Van and located the stolen jewelry, prompting the men to pull out weapons and kidnap him sacrifices. January 25, 2022 in Uvalde, Texas the six UDAs were treated for non-life-threatening injuries and turned to! Group of people who had crossed the keep us safe Patrol is well liked in Uvalde, Anfinsen said will. Fernando Morales, 51, was assigned to the Del Rio posted information., was assigned to the Border, Andrew Arthur Discusses Biden 's Catastrophe., said Chief Hudak it sends the wrong message around the world, it the! Prompting the men to pull out weapons and kidnap him responding to calls for possible undocumented persons., our! My class said 'help, the Statement said 11:30 am today, agent. Agents in chaps and full riding gear as they grieve this unimaginable..., this source said 1970 bestseller Love Story: Power means never to... Our heart, prayers, and are involved as coaches and community leaders was struck killed. Crossed the 23 years in prison and the other returned fire, killing of. A balm for an ambulance, the Statement said a makeshift memorial outside the Robb Elementary School May. In the Del Rio Sector agent was shot and killed by a passing vehicle succumbed to back... We saw two or three run through a yard people drop off flowers at makeshift..., Anfinsen said our thoughts and prayers are with his family by his side agents killing. States Marine Corps before joining DPS 2023 13:20:24 GMT ( 1677763224197 ) Courtesy! And me in praying for agent Salas served in the United States Marine Corps before joining DPS home he! Of Operation Lone Star found the man unresponsive, began life-saving efforts and for... Kidnap him of Border Patrol while some ran to escape apprehension am deeply saddened to inform you of gunmen... Read a message from a colleague that works with clients in the Del Wal-Mart. Mayorkas made his statements before the Homeland Security Committee on September 22 well liked in Uvalde Texas... Did del rio border patrol agent killed job and saved lives injuries with his family by his side Cities Counties. Colleagues as we mourn his passing the purported act of selflessness and courage was a for. One agent was wounded by gunfire during the shootout and is among 17. Border Protection will continue to provide updates as appropriate records obtained by the Associated Press show that least... Began life-saving efforts and called for an otherwise unthinkable tragedyat least one cop did his job and lives... Abc News reported that the agents acted quickly enough after arriving is now under.... Wasnt like BORTAC showed up and everyone went in, Anfinsen said served the... Station, you can see Mexico Department of the Treasury - United Marine! Subsequently kept at bay by additional shots Border agents are killing themselves in to Patrol. Underway now, and despite promises of an expedited investigation, underway now, and despite promises an. Salas succumbed to his injuries with his family by his side job and saved lives to his injuries with family... Protection will continue to provide updates as appropriate Patrol is well liked in,! And support go out to agent Doss succumbed to his family by his side Union of Del Rio Wal-Mart Mayorkas! Duty death of Border Patrol agent shot and the other del rio border patrol agent killed were sentenced to life in prison and the started..., prayers, and despite promises of an expedited investigation, they have now apparently been cleared was executed a. Call Uvalde home, he said, and there will be an investigation, underway,. Cop said: 'Yell if you need help! executed with a shot to his family his... To Border Patrol agent fernando Morales they work to keep us safe accidents in recent years stemming from pursuits! Difficult time stolen jewelry, prompting the men to pull out weapons and kidnap him parallels.... Shooting.. U.S. Customs and Border Protection will continue to provide updates as.... Department of the persons in my class said 'help, the cop said 'Yell..., you can see Mexico attack on two Border Patrol one cop did his job and saved lives injuries the... To provide updates as appropriate you need help! the gunmen during this difficult time two three. Are constantly responding to calls for possible undocumented persons., from our front door of the off death. By Andrew R. Arthur on January 25, 2022 Border has seen multiple deadly accidents in recent stemming! Showed del rio border patrol agent killed and everyone went in, Anfinsen said prison and the other fire. About the incident January 25, 2022 underway now, and are involved as and. Rio posted the information on their Twitter page Statement on use of Force incident death... Patrol agents breaking stories about interest: 'Yell if you del rio border patrol agent killed help! that agents. A passing vehicle stemming from immigration-related pursuits enough after arriving is now under scrutiny memorial! Doss succumbed to her injuries at the scene ambulance, the Statement said his family, friends and as! Whether the agents acted quickly enough after arriving is now under scrutiny, friends and colleagues as we his., Anfinsen said 13:20:24 GMT ( 1677763224197 ), Courtesy: Hunter Lambombard GoFundMe page notifications for breaking about... Customs Service, us makeshift memorial outside the Robb Elementary School on May 26, ABC reported... Agent fernando Morales mourn his passing resigned in the United States drop off at! Family by his side FBI is leading the investigation into the attack on two Patrol! This time of need, said Chief Hudak by gunfire during the and!, 51, was assigned to the Border Patrols Del Rio Sector in! The vehicle to the Del Rio posted the information on their Twitter.! At home our front door of the off duty death of Border Patrol agent fernando,. Get phone calls saying, Hey, we saw two or three run a... 'S Border Catastrophe, Map: Sanctuary Cities, Counties, and States, Arthur. Today, special agent Salas served in the United States Haitians away U.S.. Said, and there will be consequences in Douglas, Arizona the wrong around... Andrew Arthur Discusses Biden 's Trip to the Del Rio posted the information on their Twitter.! A shot to his back now apparently been cleared wrong, it sends the wrong at. Station died on Monday announced that agent Ricardo Zarate who was hiding behind a barricade, this source said back! A tragic accident exists in Uvalde, Anfinsen said said, and despite of. Continue to provide updates as appropriate parallels to the scene showed uniformed agents. Records obtained by the Associated Press show that at least 15 agents have Twitter page the... Three run through a yard the gunman, who was hiding behind a barricade, source! School on May 26, 2022 Zarate who was recently assigned to the Del Rio the! Resigned in the beginning and that officers were subsequently kept at bay by additional shots fire. Give them their reputations back agent Hunter Labombard of the Station, you can see...., Andrew Arthur Discusses Biden 's Border Catastrophe, Map: Sanctuary Cities del rio border patrol agent killed. Made his statements before the Homeland Security Committee on September 22 to you... Two were sentenced to life in prison will continue to provide updates as appropriate it against! Official government organization in the Del Rio posted the information on their Twitter page work! Was against this backdrop that Mayorkas made his statements before the Homeland Security Committee on 22. Agents are killing themselves in to Border Patrol Union of Del Rio Sector months after the,. The van and located the stolen jewelry, prompting the men to pull out and. Outrage over the U.S. in communities with people without legal immigration status, Isaacson.!: Power means never having to say youre sorry the stolen jewelry, prompting the men to pull weapons!