SAN ANTONIO, Texas –An Illegal Alien in distress was rescued from the Rio Grande River on the evening of Feb. 3, 2026, in a coordinated effort between U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to Joint Task Force - Southern Border (JTF-SB) and U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) agents. At approximately 8:30 p.m., Border Patrol agents from the Eagle Pass Station heard calls for help originating from the river.
The agents immediately notified a JTF-SB Army aviation unit to provide aerial overwatch. Aboard the responding UH-72 Lakota helicopter, U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Eric Flaherty utilized the aircraft's thermal imaging camera to guide ground teams to the individual's precise location. “From the thermal, I could see the individual was stuck and needed help,” said Flaherty. Responding on the ground was Spc. Joe Perez and Pfc. Christina Alban, both with JTF-SB, alongside two Border Patrol agents.
Upon arrival the team spotted a person on the U.S. side of the river, unable to swim and stuck in a strong current, the individual held onto a cluster of rocks and was calling out for help, approximately 50 feet from the riverbank. Recognizing the urgency, two Border Patrol agents and Perez entered the water. One agent, secured by a rescue line held by Perez, swam out to reach the individual. Perez and the second agent then pulled both the agent and the Illegal Alien back to shallow water, from which they all walked safely to shore.
“When the agents went in, I knew I needed to help,” said Perez. “I was not going to let them go in alone.” Once ashore, Alban and Border Patrol agents provided immediate medical care to the rescued individual to prevent hypothermia. No injuries were sustained by any of the U.S. personnel involved in the operation.
The individual was then transferred to the U.S. Border Patrol’s custody for processing. Upon processing, USBP determined the rescued person was an Illegal Alien from Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico. He entered the United States with the intentions on going to South Carolina. The unity of effort among Soldiers, JTF-SB, and USBP, combined with the Army’s Lakota and thermal cameras, enables a swift rescue and the control of the border.