LAREDO, Texas – US soldiers deployed in support of US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) worked with border guards from the Laredo Sector to rescue an unaccompanied child in the Rio Grande.

The rescue came late in the evening of April 19, when several undocumented people tried to illegally cross the Rio Grande to the United States. A U.S. Army soldier deployed in support of the CBP in the area watched three of the four people in the group return to the Mexican side of the river after being discovered. The soldier noted that the fourth person left on the US side was a young child who had difficulty getting out of the river. He acted quickly and helped the child out of the river onto the US riverside.

Fortunately, the child, who was later identified as an undocumented person from El Salvador, did not need medical attention after he was rescued. The child was transferred to Health and Human Services.

The soldiers, who are under the operational command of the US Army North, the direction of the US Northern Command for this support mission, support the CBP in the Laredo area. This is the second time this year soldiers in support of the CBP have helped save a life in the river along the southern border. The river has areas of fast flowing water that are dangerous to those trying to cross.

“As a parent, it is frustrating for me to see a young child left behind by smugglers to fend for themselves in the fast currents of the Rio Grande. With the help of technology, the smuggling attempt was discovered and a US Army soldier who was assisting our agents was able to quickly get to the lonely child and drag him out of the water to safety, ”said Matthew J. Hudak, Chief Patrol Agent.

The Department of Defense (DOD) has long supported efforts to secure US borders. The U.S. Northern Command continues to work closely with the Department of Homeland Security and CBP through Army North to ensure the security of our nation’s borders through operations to combat drugs, fight cross-border organized crime, and other cross-border threats.

Despite the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. border guards, working with our DOD partners, continue to secure our borders and provide assistance to those in need. Laredo Sector Border Patrol is committed to the agency’s mission to protect the American people by protecting our border and enhancing the nation’s economic prosperity.

Help stand up against criminal organizations and potentially dangerous activities by reporting suspicious activity in our neighborhood. To report suspicious activity, such as people and / or drug smuggling, download the USBP Laredo Sector app or contact the Laredo Sector Border Patrol toll-free number 1-800-343-1994.

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-CBP-