Video shows man on raft attempting to smuggle people into U.S. via the Rio Grande river

CBS ^ | July 12, 2018 | CBS

[gattaca]

ROMA, Texas -- As the Trump administration intensifies efforts to curb illegal immigration, attempts to cross the U.S.-Mexico border are continuing. A CBS News crew witnessed one of those attempts on Wednesday as a man in a raft tried to smuggle two people into the U.S. Their crossing, near Roma, Texas, was less than 100 yards from a port of entry where dozens of armed agents are stationed.

CBS News' David Begnaud said he and his crew had gone to the border to work on a story about people receiving letters regarding the border wall that President Trump wants to build in the area. After stopping at a lookout point at the border, Begnaud and his producer drove over an international bridge that goes from Texas to Mexico, crossing over the Rio Grande river. They then parked on the Mexico side, along the water.

While there, Begnaud saw a man on a raft and began filming using his phone. Two other people in the boat appeared to be wearing life jackets.

As Begnaud recorded, a man speaking in Spanish -- called a scout -- told him and his producer that it wasn't safe, and told them to leave. The scout, who was using a walkie-talkie to communicate with the smuggler in the boat, followed Begnaud and his producer to their rental vehicle, leaned on the window, and told them it wasn't safe for them there.

Within about ten minutes, Begnaud and Hooper were back on the U.S. side of the river and the border. They then saw the man who was paddling in the raft walk across the river back to Mexico.

[gattaca]

I also found the story on The Blaze

https://www.theblaze.com/news/2018/07/17/illegal-border-crossing-caught-on-video-in-broad-daylight-and-less-than-100-yards-from-port-of-entry?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily-Newsletter__PM-Final%202018-07-17&utm_term=TheBlaze%20Daily%20PM%20-%20last%20270%20days

Illegal border crossing caught on video in broad daylight—and less than 100 yards from port of entry

[blueplum]

They then saw the man who was paddling in the raft walk across the river

now that would be something to photograph!

[eartick]

I know exactly where this is. My buds and I used to pull night ops here catching these illegal invaders.

Hell, they would tie together milk jugs enough to keep them afloat. I always wanted to go down there and shoot their jugs and see how fast it took them to sink.

LOTS of drugs come across this way as well.

[oldasrocks]

Looks like a good place to turn loose a few hungry piranha.

[BlueLancer]

Looks like a good place to turn loose a few hungry piranha.

I'd rather the Rio Grande looked like this ...

[DIRTYSECRET]

Remember the term wetbacks?

[bgill]

There’s some place in Big Bend National Park where you pay a Mexican national $5 to row you across so you can do the touristy thing.

$5 is cheaper than thousands paid for coyotes to traffic folks back and forth.

[MortMan]

How about a slingshot range?

[ViLaLuz]

I’ve watched many people cross in Laredo. They use inner tubes with their clothes folded on top to keep dry. In broad daylight. They don’t care and no one stops them.