see also: in January 2007 News Releases:   Membership of Trade/Customs Advisory Committee Announced   CBP Border Patrol Launches Massive Search to Preserve Life   CBP Officers Make 22 Drug Busts at Calexico Ports During Busy Week   3,010 Pounds of Marijuana Seized at Nogales Port of Entry   CBP Border Patrol Makes a Record Drug Bust   Registration Underway for Third CBP Conference on ACE   CBP Officers Nab Mother/Daughter Cocaine Smugglers; Juveniles With Marijuana Loads Also Nabbed This Week ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers

contacts for this news release

Edinburg, Texas —U.S. Customs and Border Protection Border Patrol agents from the Rio Grande Valley sector rescued a total of 15 people in three separate incidents all involving individuals who had been exposed to low temperatures.

The most significant rescue occurred on January 15 when agents assigned to the Falfurrias Border Patrol station responded to a citizen’s call concerning a group of people walking through a local ranch. When the agents arrived a group of people ran, leaving one female subject lying on the ground. The female was conscious but unresponsive. Local emergency services responded and transported the subject to the Kleberg County Airport where she was airlifted to Shore Memorial Hospital in Corpus Christi, Texas. The subject is still recovering from hypothermia after being resuscitated three times.

Also on January 15 Falfurrias station agents were notified of ten people suffering from extreme cold conditions. When the agent arrived at the location the ten undocumented aliens from Mexico were offered medical assistance but declined. All subjects recovered from the cold exposure and were granted a voluntary return to Mexico.

In a separate incident on January 16 agents assigned to the Sarita Border Patrol checkpoint received a call from the Kennedy Sheriff’s department concerning a group of undocumented aliens lost in the brush who asked for the Border Patrol to rescue them. The subjects provided a description of the surrounding area and GPS coordinates of the nearest tower location was given by Sprint / Nextel network. Border Patrol agents found four citizens of Mexico inside a ranch. All four refused medical attention. The subjects were processed and will be taken to the Mexican Consulate in Brownsville, Texas.

In the ongoing effort to disrupt human trafficking and smuggling, the Rio Grande Valley Sector has created a toll-free telephone number for the community to report suspicious activity – 1-800-863-9382.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security responsible for the management, control, and protection of our Nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.