An MS NOW news crew had to be rescued by eight Border Patrol agents after its SUV became stranded in the remote Texas desert.
Antonia Hylton and her crew were reporting from Texas’ Big Bend region for the debut of "The Assignment" when their Jeep Wagoneer bottomed out shortly after visiting the Alvarado Ranch. The crew became stranded as darkness descended.
"Eight Border Patrol agents in four different trucks came out that night to rescue our crew," Hylton said. "Three of their four vehicles got trapped in the process."
The rescue occurred as Hylton was reporting on opposition among some local landowners to government efforts to obtain private property for border barriers through eminent domain. The report focused on individuals like Yolanda Alvarado, whose family has owned land in the region for five generations and faces potential disruption to their water source or separation of their home from an ancestral cemetery by a border barrier.
The MS NOW report also highlighted the challenging landscape of the US-Mexico border in the Big Bend sector, noting the obstacles presented by mountains, the Rio Grande, and vast stretches of remote desert. Hylton described the arduous journey from Mexico into Texas, which involves scaling high mountain ranges, crossing the Rio Grande, and traveling many miles to reach the nearest town for supplies.
"Oh, and at many points of the year, you’d be doing that in 100 degree heat," she added.
According to the MS NOW report, the Big Bend sector accounts for 1.3% of total border apprehensions. The program also featured criticism of border wall construction from local officials, including Terrell County Sheriff Thaddeus Cleveland, a former Border Patrol agent. Concerns raised in the report included private property rights and the potential economic impact on communities reliant on tourism.
