Police in Eagle Pass, Texas, arrested two men shortly after they illegally crossed the Rio Grande from Mexico using specialized Scuba equipment to evade detection. The men, both Guatemalan nationals, were wearing full-length Scuba-style wetsuits and carrying individual water propulsion devices, police said in a Facebook post.
The apprehension occurred after an observant Eagle Pass resident alerted authorities to suspicious individuals in a local neighborhood. Officers quickly responded and located the men attempting to hide under a bridge.
Officials believe the wetsuits and propulsion devices were used to navigate the dangerous waters of the Rio Grande undetected. The migrants were handed over to U.S. Border Patrol for removal proceedings.
This incident comes amid growing concerns over sophisticated smuggling tactics along the southern border. Just last week, Border Patrol agents in the Del Rio Sector seized a drone being used by cartel-linked scouts to identify safe smuggling routes. Acting Del Rio Sector Chief Patrol Agent Desi DeLeon confirmed on X that agents, working alongside Texas Department of Public Safety troopers and the Mexican government, tracked and confiscated the device.
In a separate incident, Border Patrol agents used their own drone technology to locate and arrest a group of five illegal aliens attempting to enter the U.S. under cover of darkness. These events highlight the increasing use of advanced technology in illegal border crossings and the ongoing efforts by law enforcement to combat these tactics.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced in November 2024 that the state had intensified its border security efforts by expanding the floating marine barrier in the Rio Grande and installing additional razor wire in Eagle Pass.
These measures aim to combat the surge in illegal border crossings ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House, where he has promised to secure the border and enforce mass deportations on Day One.
Texas began lengthening the buoy barrier following the installation of more razor wire around the same time. While the total length of the barrier remains undisclosed, the original 1,000-foot installation has proven a critical tool in deterring illegal crossings.
