Often, catching illegal aliens crossing the southern border reflects the skill and persistence of the Border Patrol.
Other times it reflects the stupidity of the would-be border-crossers.
Three recent examples:
In one case, a U.S. citizen with a murder charge against him was in Mexico near El Paso and wanted to return to the U.S., which was probably not a very good idea given his record. He had a truck and simply tried to drive it through the Rio Grande.
That did not work, so he crossed another way not specified in the press release, probably by swimming, and was picked up on the other side by Border Patrol agents. He is Patricio Gomez, a U.S. citizen.
In another case, on the Pacific Coast about a year ago, a group of illegals hired a boat and its captain, U.S. citizen Antonio Hurtado, to take them from Baja California to California by skirting the barrier that runs into the ocean south of San Diego. The would-be entrants failed to monitor the behavior of the skipper, who was so deep into “controlled substances” that he passed out en route, and the boat went around in circles for an hour.
The pilot regained consciousness after a while, but the motor died and the vessel ran aground some 50 yards from the shore in heavy waves. Sadly, three of the 32 Mexican nationals on board died while the others were rescued by Americans. Hurtado pleaded guilty on April 6.
Did any of the three know how to swim? We will never know. Many would-be illegal aliens do not, but try to cross our water borders anyway.
Was there a second in command who could have taken over from the drugged captain? Apparently not. Did any of the aliens have the rudimentary skills to steer the boat to a safe harbor? Apparently not.
Then there was the would-be illegal who was found up in a tree in the flooded Rio Grande; he was said to be nearly dying of thirst a few feet above the fresh-water river.
Unfortunately, most attempts to enter the U.S. illegally are handled with more skill.