“Don’t risk it,” Chief Border Patrol Agent Jason Owens says in a Facebook video, “This journey is deadly, it’s dangerous, it can cost you your life.”
Rows of unmarked graves are seen in the frame as Owens delivers his video message to potential border crossers.
The video was featured on the US Border Patrol Del Rio Sector’s Facebook page over the weekend, with Spanish subtitles..
Owens claims Border Patrol Agents rescued 3,000 individuals in the last fiscal year – but also mentions the 260 that died.
“That's the number of deaths that we know about. So there's more voices I want to add to our plea that we've been making this past year to anybody that's considering making this dangerous journey.
It's not just us that this impacts. It's your families and it's your loved ones. If we don't get to you in time.
And what you see behind me right now are just a few of the grave markers of the individuals that we weren't able to save. And more than that, we weren't able to identify John Doe. Jane Doe. Baby John Doe. Baby Jane Doe.”
Related: CBP: 328 Illegal Aliens From China Have Been Caught At the U.S. Border Since Coronavirus Outbreak
A strong border policy for the U.S. would likely send a stronger message to illegal border crossers than a video – but under the Biden administration, the Border Patrol has to use the tools it has available.
Owens reported that there were over 10,000 apprehensions made in Del Rio Sector just last week.
Del Rio Sector Weekly Recap
— Chief Patrol Agent Jason D. Owens (@USBPChiefDRT) November 22, 2022
•10,343 Apprehensions
•5,903 Known Got aways
•21 Large Groups
•6 Sex Offenders pic.twitter.com/EiSJhY4RNA