Casa Grande, Arizona - Casa Grande Station Border Patrol agents rescued a total of eight illegal immigrants and rendered assistance to a fellow agent during several rescue incidents over the weekend south of Casa Grande.
While searching for a group of suspected illegal aliens on a remote mountain trail Friday, a Casa Grande Border Patrol agent became ill from the excessive heat and had to be air-lifted to a hospital for treatment. He was subsequently treated and released.
Agents received a 911 call early Saturday evening from two male Mexican nationals, ages 36 and 45, claiming to be lost in the desert. The callers, both illegal aliens, were found a short time later and were provided food and water.
On Sunday, Casa Grande Station agents responding to a rescue distress call encountered a 36-year-old Mexican man who had entered the country illegally. The man was evaluated and treated for heat-related injuries by a medically-trained Border Patrol agent.
Approximately two hours later, another distress call was received from a group of illegal aliens claiming to be lost. Agents searched the area described by the callers and encountered five men ages 17 through 49.
The group, comprised of Mexican nationals, said they were abandoned by their smuggler and ran out of water several hours earlier in the day. Although distressed, no one required medical attention.
All persons arrested during the incidents were transported to the Casa Grande Station for further processing on immigration violations.
These incidents highlight the dangers faced by migrants and law enforcement alike when exposed to extreme temperatures during summer months. The Border Patrol advises anyone in distress to call 911 or activate a rescue beacon as soon as possible.