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Texas National Guard Soldier Goes Missing Attempting To Save Migrant

Brianna Lyman News and Commentary Writer
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A Texas National Guard soldier went missing Friday in the Rio Grande river in Eagle Pass while trying to rescue a migrant in the water, according to authorities.

“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,” Fox News’ Bill Melugin tweeted.

The Texas Military Department later released a statement that a soldier assigned to Operation Lone Star had gone missing on a mission-related incident and the soldier has not been found. The department says reports of a fatality are “inaccurate” and authorities are working to find the soldier.

Authorities say the service member went missing after they “selflessly attempted to help two migrants who appeared to be drowning as they illegally crossed the river from Mexico to the United States.”

The two migrants were taken into custody and were “involved in illicit transnational narcotics trafficking,” according to authorities.

Melugin tweeted authorities are still treating the situation as a “drowning” and the body that was recovered is believed to be that of a migrant. (RELATED: Mayorkas Reportedly Very Concerned About Lifting Title 42, Worries About Migrant Surge)

Less than a month ago Border Patrol and police units rescued migrants in Eagle Pass who were drowning while trying to cross the Rio Grande, video footage captured by the Daily Caller showed.

A Haitian family was rescued by agents in February after nearly drowning while trying to cross the Rio Grande River in Del Rio.

The Rio Grande presents a difficult challenge as migrants are deceived into thinking it is safe to cross the river as they fail to see the strong current underneath, sweeping migrants away.

The tragic incident comes as the Biden Administration is set to rescind Title 42, a Trump-era policy that allowed for the rapid expulsion of migrants due to the coronavirus.

A record two million migrants were encountered at the U.S.-Mexico border in 2021 and authorities confiscated $3.31 billion in counterfeit goods, more than 319,000 pounds of marijuana, over 190,000 pounds of methamphetamine and more than 97,000 pounds of cocaine in the fiscal year 2021.

Authorities arrested 209,906 at the border in March alone, the highest number of monthly arrests at the southern border since March of 2000.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated as information becomes available.