EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Beneath the beauty of the Sun City, lies a harsh reality.
El Paso’s extensive storm drain system, spanning over 300 miles, has become a conduit for human smuggling; presenting significant challenges for both migrants and Border Patrol’s Confined Space Entry Team (CSET).
Photos by Sebastian Esquivel – KTSM
Border Patrol Agent Efrain Mercado has been working with CSET for 11 years. He tells KTSM that smugglers have been exploiting the storm drains for years, but recently they have seen an increase in entries.
KTSM joined CSET to get a firsthand look inside the storm drain system.
Mercado said they often conduct “sweeps” where they check for signs of footing.
“Sometimes when we go in there, they’ve been using it for a couple of weeks, maybe a few days,” said Mercado.
Migrants, including children as young as five, are often forced into the storm drains by smugglers.
These smugglers, which are part of transnational criminal organizations, charge migrants thousands of dollars with the promise of entry into the United States. However, the reality is often far grimmer.
“A lot of these migrants are scared. They don’t know where they are going. They just push them in, give them their blessing sometimes, and they are on their own. So, sometimes they are even happy to see us,” Mercado explained.
CSET faces numerous challenges including exposure to toxic gases, venomous animals and flash flooding.
“They just throw them in there and tell them where to go. Sometimes they have a guide. Sometimes they don’t. When we enter a tunnel, there must be at least two entrances to be safe. We encounter groups of up to 20-40 migrants, and it’s just two of us down there. Another challenge is our communications are not great down there,” Mercado said.
The CSET constantly has to stay one step ahead of smugglers who find new entry points using tools like electric cutters and gas-powered saws to break cement and get from one tunnel to another.
“We’ve seen them dig from the south side underneath the Rio Grande and tap into a storm drain,” said Mercado.
Equipped with helmets, hip waders, boots, and air quality monitor systems, the CSET must navigate hazardous conditions. The air quality monitor systems help them detect harmful gases lingering in the area.
“It picks up combustibles, any gasoline in the water or anything that we stir up. It’ll pick it up, and as soon as that goes off, we’re out of there,” Mercado said.
For many migrants, the storm drains are a desperate path to salvation.
“I’ve seen them go into 18-inch storm drains out of desperation, and then we have to get in there and back them out, calm them down,” Mercado said.
Despite the dangers, Mercado and his team remain dedicated to their mission.
“We do this because we see these migrants come into these tunnels, we see bad outcomes, and we try to do our best to help these people,” Mercado said.
When asked if he ever felt scared for his own safety, Agent Jeremiah Blount said:
“No, our training is top-notch. We have good equipment. There have been situations where we get tired and exhausted, but nothing we can’t handle. We have been trained for the best.”
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