Soaring Temperatures Prompt ‘Dire’ Warning From Border Patrol Chief

The heat wave scorching the southwestern region of the United States is creating “even more dire” conditions for migrants crossing Mexico’s border, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Chief Jason Owens.

In a warning posted to X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday, Owens said that CBP officials have rescued over 3,700 people and documented more than 300 deaths since the start of the 2024 fiscal year in October. Border officials have also received 190 alerts from its rescue beacons, which, according to the CBP, are placed in remote, high-risk sites and allow migrants to call for medical assistance or rescue personnel.

“Warning: Summer is upon us,” Owens wrote in his post. “High temperatures & remote ranch lands/desert make already dangerous conditions even more dire.”

Officials near El Paso, Texas, have seen an increase in heat-related injuries and deaths over the past week, as temperatures have soared well over 100 degrees. The National Weather Service (NWS) issued an excessive heat warning for large parts of California, Nevada, Arizona, Texas and southern Utah earlier this week. The most severe temperatures were expected to strike from Wednesday morning to Thursday or Friday.

“The desert environment is extremely unforgiving, especially during the summer months,” El Paso Border Patrol Chief Anthony Good said in a statement. “We urge anyone considering crossing illegally to understand the severe risks involved. Our agents are working tirelessly to save lives. But the best way to stay safe is not to attempt an illegal crossing.”

According to a release posted Monday, border patrol agents received calls of “several emergency situations” over the weekend. The CBP reported four migrant deaths due to heatstroke and dehydration. The El Paso Times reported that the migrants died near Santa Teresa, New Mexico, just west of the El Paso border, during illegal border crossings.

Agent Good said in a post to X last week that agents in Santa Teresa responded to six migrant heat-related injuries in the span of six hours.

In fiscal year 2024, the CBP said, its agents have conducted over 656 humanitarian rescues within the El Paso sector alone.

The El Paso Border Patrol has launched a campaign to broadcast messages over radio and social media to areas where illegal crossings are “most prevalent,” read Monday’s release. The objective of the campaign “is to inform and deter individuals from making the hazardous journey.”

Newsweek reached out to the CBP via email for additional information on Wednesday.