A Texas National Guard soldier went missing on Friday while attempting to rescue illegal immigrants in the Rio Grande.
A spokesman for the National Guard told American Military News in an email that reports of a fatality are inaccurate. The service’s statement read:
A Texas Army National Guard Soldier assigned to Operation Lone Star has gone missing along the river during a mission related incident, Friday April 22, 2022 in Eagle Pass, Texas. The Soldier has not been found. We are aware of reports of a fatality, although those reports are inaccurate. The Texas Military Department, Texas DPS and Border Patrol are working rapidly to find the Soldier. More details will be released as they become available.
Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin reported earlier Friday morning that multiple sources claimed the service member had drowned, which he said was confirmed by the Texas Department of Public Safety.
He tweeted, “BREAKING: Multiple sources tell me a Texas National Guard soldier has just drowned in the Rio Grande here in Eagle Pass while trying to save migrants in the water. Texas DPS confirms, and tells me a body has been recovered. I’m told a statement will be coming out soon. @FoxNews.”
“UPDATE: Here is a brief video of the scene from one of our photographers. @FoxNews,” Melugin added in a follow-up tweet.
Last week, Daily Caller reporter Jorge Ventura tweeted video showing illegal immigrants getting swept away by the river while attempting to cross into the United States.
“EXCLUSIVE: ‘They Are Going To Storm The Border’: South Texas Braces For Migrant Surge As Title 42 Is Set To End Sources tell us between 7,000 – 10,000 migrants are living in Piedras Negras,Mexico waiting for the end of title 42 to cross illegally into the US,” Ventura tweeted.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said on Tuesday that his state has sent eight buses carrying illegal immigrants to Washington, D.C. in an effort to protect small Texas communities who have been overrun with illegal immigrants due to the Biden administration’s lax border policies.
Last month, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials told reporters that the department is anticipating a worst-case scenario of 12,000 to 18,000 illegal immigrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border every day, totaling up to 540,000 monthly, once the Biden administration lifts pandemic-era asylum limits, which is expected to take place on May 23.
In FY21, Biden’s DHS topped 1.73 million illegal immigrant arrests, breaking the previous record from 1986 when officials recorded 1.69 million apprehensions nationwide.
