U.S. Border Patrol gives update on 54 migrants rescued from Rio Grande on Tuesday

SUNLAND PARK, New Mexico (KVIA) -- 54 migrants were rescued from a portion of the Rio Grande inside Sunland Park, New Mexico on Tuesday by several local and federal agencies.

Some of the agencies involved were the EPFD, SPFD, Montana Vista Fire Department, Horizon Fire Department, and U.S. Border Patrol.

ABC-7 reached out to the U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector to learn more about the status of these 54 migrants.

Agent Claudio Herrera-Baeza, one of the agency's spokesmen said, the U.S.B.P.'s Santa Teresa station reported seeing a group of migrants who crossed through Mount Cristo Rey and coming down the mountain.

They eventually made their way to the Rio Grande by Doniphan.

Agent Herrera-Baeza also confirmed, that even though the El Paso Sector has seen a 38% decrease in encounters compared to last year, they are seeing an increase in rescues.

This very same time last year, the El Paso Sector saw 360 rescues compared to the 740 Border Patrol has seen this year.

"So we're seeing a significant increase in rescues, and we attribute this to different factors. One of them is that the migrants are trusting their lives in transnational criminal organizations, where they are promising a safe passage when the reality is completely different," Agent Herrera said.

"This event, like here, and just getting into the water, can turn into a difficult situation and definitely a nightmare for our family that believes it's just looking for the American dream, but it can become a nightmare," Agent Herrera added.

The 54 migrants rescued came from different countries including Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic, among others.

U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector wants to keep reminding the migrant community to not risk themselves, because anyone who comes into the country illegally will be processed under Title 8.