Border Patrol Assists Local Ranchers With Horse Rescues Amid Flooding

SAN DIEGO — While most people envision Border Patrol agents as a stoic group guarding the border on horseback, ATV's and in pick-up trucks as they watch carefully for those entering the country illegally or smuggling drugs, that wasn't exactly the case in San Ysidro on Monday, Jan. 16.

As storms dumped unprecedented amounts of rainfall throughout San Diego County, local ranchers struggled to rescue their horses from rising flood waters near the Tijuana River Valley Regional Park. Those ranchers reached out to U.S. Customs and Border Protection - San Diego Border Patrol Sector and agents from The Imperial Beach Horse Patrol Unit wasted no time answering the call for help.

The agents "immediately responded to the area and worked with the local community throughout the day to evacuate horses to safety," Agent Angel L. Moreno with the San Diego Sector's Information & Communication Division said in a news release.

According to Moreno, a total of 27 horses were rescued by the Horse Patrol Unit. Twenty-one of the horses, he said, were transported to the Imperial Beach Border Patrol stables and the remaining six were transported to nearby ranches out of the flood zone.

“We love horses, and we love our community,” Special Operations Supervisor Mauro Lopez, who oversees the Horse Patrol Unit, said. “They both needed help and we had the skills and equipment to do so, so we got our team together and headed to the area.”

According Moreno's news release, the Border Patrol has a long history of assisting the community during floods and fires. In September of 2022, San Diego Sector Border Patrol deployed field agents and the Horse Patrol Unit to Potrero, California to assist with the evacuation of people and livestock that were stranded by the Border 32 Fire.

“San Diego Sector Border Patrol maintains strong relationships with our local partners and when emergencies hit, we are ready to help.” said Chief Patrol Agent Aaron Heitke. “I’m glad we were able to assist our neighbors with getting their horses to safety from the flood area.”