In the midst of the San Diego heat wave, Customs and Border Protection is warning migrants to avoid crossing the U.S.-Mexico border at all costs.
Border patrol agents in San Diego explained that, in this hot season, the most dangerous thing for migrants is to pass through canyon areas, where the temperature can be up to 20 degrees higher.
Last Wednesday, helicopters and fire units traveled through the mountains, trying to rescue an officer and a migrant who suffered a heat stroke in the Otay mountains.
"Many times, smugglers don't warn migrants to bring enough water, food, or adequate clothing for the day," said Angel Moreno, a spokesman for the border patrol in San Diego.
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There has already been a number of illegal crossings in this fiscal year, authorities said. As of July, there have already been more than 4,000 rescues of migrants who’ve been affected by the weather conditions.
"So far this year we have more than 150,000 apprehensions here in the San Diego sector and what I can tell you is that it is a record number, we are going to exceed last year's record and people continue to cross either in winter or in summer," explained Gerardo Gutierrez, agent of the San Diego border patrol.
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Jorge Huerta, who’s been a Border Patrol Search, Trauma, and Rescue (BORSTAR) agent for 16 years in San Diego, talked about all the elements they use in this hot season. They use a large number of helmets, tools and serums and specialized dogs to locate people.
"If there is someone lost in the mountain, I can send him [ the dog] and he is trained to find people. He then comes back to tell me and then takes me to where he finds them," Huerta said.
Huerta says the agency trains dogs to identify migrants and rescue them, not to attack them.
"Our canines are also trained to find the deceased," Huerta said.
The border patrol said that, in the mountain area of San Diego, there are up to seven rescue beacons where migrants can call for help just by pressing a button.
"A light that can be seen at night the migrant simply presses the red button and that sends an alert to the communication center, then agents are dispatched to rescue the migrants," Moreno added.
The most difficult thing, however, is when agents don't arrive on time to help.
"Most people wait until the last moment to call and sometimes in those moments it is already very late, you have to go down to where they are and give them first aid. We are going to take at least an hour or more to reach them," Huerta added.
The border patrol added that in this fiscal year, there have been 28 deaths that have been recorded of migrants who tried to cross the border, so the main message to them this summer season is not to cross the border.
Border patrol explained that, in addition to the risks due to temperatures, there are also those of dangerous animals and organized crime.
