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SANTA TERESA, New Mexico – Just before a grim incident occurred, Border Patrol Agent José Gil sensed that not all was well.

A sensor at the border had designated an illegal entry attempt, and Gil found himself confronting a smuggler face-to-face through the fortified border fence, while migrants hurriedly sought refuge among the dunes in Mexico.

“Please, don’t bring them across,” Gil cautioned the smuggler, also called a coyote. “You are risking their lives. We’ve been discovering too many deceased individuals here.”

The number of migrant deaths has escalated for the second consecutive year along this area of the U.S.-Mexico border in West Texas and southern New Mexico. For migrant families, losing a loved one, who is frequently the primary provider, has devastating personal and financial consequences.

However, an often-overlooked burden lies on the border agents who discover the bodies of migrants or encounter those they are unable to save.

This fiscal year, which concluded Monday, a total of 175 migrant fatalities have been reported in the Border Patrol’s El Paso Sector. This surpassed the previous year’s record of 149 deaths and is significantly higher than the mere 10 deaths recorded five years prior. Agents like Gil, who patrol this vast desert area where homes and roads intersect, are taken aback as migrants perish mere moments away from potential aid.

The rising number of deaths has contributed to a mental health emergency among agents, prompting U.S. Customs and Border Protection to significantly enhance support for personnel over the past 18 months following the suicide of 15 agents in 2022.

While Border Patrol’s primary role is law enforcement, the nature of the job is unlike any other. The policies agents are instructed to uphold are constantly evolving, and the challenging landscapes they navigate often entail solitary and perilous conditions.

Gil, who grew up in the desert regions of El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juárez in Mexico, reflects the common background of many border agents. His journey began in the U.S. Army before he transitioned to the Border Patrol.

Fluent in both English and Spanish, Gil possesses an extensive understanding of the borderland he grew up amidst — ranging from the rugged dunes adorned with mesquite trees to the towering Mt. Cristo Rey, and the sprawling cityscape that offers clear vistas of the border fence separating two nations.

After expressing his concerns to the smuggler about the potential risks, Gil prepared himself in the dunes to wait for another attempt.

Enhanced Mental Health Support for Agents

The alarming number of 15 Border Patrol agent suicides in 2022 marked a crucial turning point for U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Homeland Security; it underscored the intense pressures faced by border agents and the dire ramifications of the agency’s traditionally male-dominated and “tough it out” mentality.

According to agency leaders, the mental health challenges confronting Border Patrol agents arise from a mix of factors: rapid changes in border policies, the harsh rhetoric surrounding national immigration debates, a fellow agent’s murder conviction, the distressing task of apprehending families and children in dire situations, and the recent surge in migrant deaths within the region.

The rising dangers faced by migrants in the desert are also reflected in this year’s statistics: over 900 rescues have been conducted, a considerable increase from nearly 600 rescues last year.

Gil remarked that this year, more than any prior one, has been “extremely difficult due to the numerous fatalities we’ve been encountering. It’s taking a toll on us all, as we are not accustomed to dealing with such situations.”

Despite the alarming situation, Gil, who has distinguished himself by qualifying for two of the agency’s elite units—the BORTAC tactical team and the BORSTAR rescue unit—has not yet sought mental health assistance.

“Transforming the culture is a gradual process,” said Peter Jaquez, who previously held a leadership role in the El Paso Sector and now serves as the first executive director of workforce care at CBP. “However, we’ve made significant progress. We’re working to eliminate the stigma surrounding the act of seeking help.”

Since 2022, CBP has aggressively implemented measures to provide mental health support and care for agents in both their professional and personal lives, a shift from prior approaches.

As an initial step for mental health support, Border Patrol has offered access to chaplain services and a volunteer “peer support” program, where fellow agents provide assistance. Additionally, peer support agents are now receiving enhanced training to help identify signs of mental health crises.

Furthermore, CBP has recruited six operational psychologists to work directly within Border Patrol facilities, with plans for additional hires in the future. Uniformed agents are now designated as “resilience specialists” to establish connections between the psychologists and the field agents.

In the past year, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has introduced a K-9 program aimed at promoting mental health among field agents.

The agency has also implemented additional support initiatives, such as backup childcare, pet care services, financial literacy resources, and “family days,” where agency leaders can inform spouses about the available resources for agents and their families.

In critical situations, a significant change was made to a policy that discouraged agents from seeking help, according to Jaquez. This adjustment has alleviated the fear of permanently losing their badge and firearm for those who seek assistance.

Jaquez stated, “If an agent shows signs of suicidal thoughts, we’ll take away their weapon. However, we won’t sideline them indefinitely. Mental health issues are treated just like physical injuries; they are given the necessary time for recovery and rehabilitation.”

At the El Paso Sector headquarters of Border Patrol, Chief Patrol Agent Scott Good has emphasized the importance of mental health and what he refers to as “resiliency.”

“It’s unnecessary to adopt a tough demeanor,” Good remarked. “We should talk about our issues rather than carry them home unsaid.”

According to migrant advocates, the increased height of the border fence and stricter U.S. policies push migrants towards smugglers who expose them to lethal dangers.

“Our agents face immense challenges,” Good noted. “They witness the horrific realities of smuggling, which takes a significant toll on their mental wellness.”

This year, by September 11, seven Border Patrol agents have tragically taken their own lives, including one in El Paso, as reported by CBP.

“Even one suicide is too many,” Good remarked.

When rescue operations go awry

During this summer, many Border Patrol agents in the El Paso Sector experienced the distressing reality of witnessing death or discovering bodies. In discussions with five agents, they shared with YSL News that failed rescue attempts have been particularly difficult for them to cope with. Most were military veterans who didn’t initially seek help, though CBP provided mental health support.

Two months prior, Agent Steven Figueroa responded to a group of migrants struggling in the Rio Grande, arriving just in time to assist.

“I encountered a female migrant who had drowned,” he recounted. “She was face down in the water. We were too late to save her. It’s heartbreaking. You do everything you’ve been trained to do, everything you’d do for someone you care about, yet it slips away.”

His supervisor quickly informed him about the mental health resources at his disposal, and his colleagues checked in on him.

“It was heartening to see them reach out,” he mentioned.

Benjamin Guillen Griego, a lifelong resident of El Paso, expressed that while agents are law enforcement officers, “we’re also human.” He, too, is a veteran and like Gil and Figueroa, he has not sought CBP’s mental health resources, but he often feels the emotional weight.

“These individuals, regardless of their initial intentions, only wanted a better life; to think their hopes ended in such tragic circumstances. they might lie undiscovered for months, or even a year,” he reflected on the bodies found.

‘I warned you someone was going to die’

Shortly after Gil cautioned the smuggler against crossing, approximately 100 migrants began climbing the border fence—five here, seven there. He and other agents quickly sprang into action.

As he pursued a group of ten on foot, Gil came upon an older man on the ground. “He must have been exhausted from fleeing,” he explained. “I attempted to help him up as I noticed others running away.”

Gil urged the man to get up. “He couldn’t, so I assisted him and urged him to stay put while I sought further help.”

Gil borrowed an ATV from a fellow agent, who had just discovered a deceased woman and was adhering to protocol, waiting for a sheriff’s deputy and forensic investigator. He propelled the ATV into the dunes.

The next migrant he apprehended was the same smuggler he had cautioned earlier, along with two other individuals. He led them back to the elderly man, who was now lying face down in the sand. Upon rolling him over, Gil noticed foam around the man’s mouth.

Turning to the smuggler, he said, “I warned you, ‘Te dije que somebody was going to die.’ You all need to assist me now.”

Gil had already requested emergency assistance. The distance to New Mexico’s Highway 9 was less than three miles through harsh desert conditions.

He placed two migrants in front of his ATV and instructed the smuggler to hold the elderly man at the back.

Driving as fast as possible with the overloaded ATV, he rushed towards the highway. The man reminded Gil of his parents, both from Mexico, and he worried how they would cope in the desert on such a day. He feared they wouldn’t survive.

“I glanced back,” he recalled. “I kept shaking him”

“He was breathing, okay.” We were about 30 yards away from the road, and suddenly No pulse. No pulse. We performed CPR. Everyone arrived, but it was too late.”

Gil shared this account while standing in the shade of the border fence. Dressed in a camouflage uniform, with a heavy vest and sunglasses, he expressed reluctance to discuss the matter. Yet, he continued speaking.

“That really affected me deeply,” he admitted. “Mentally, it haunted me that night. I’ve experienced a lot and witnessed some terrible things—people and others harmed severely, often due to accidents involving trucks. Those events usually don’t disturb me. But witnessing someone die in front of me? It was so tragic, and I felt completely powerless because it was just too late.”

He referred to the smuggler, now facing charges, saying, “The coyote was crying too.”