A Border Patrol agent from the Nogales station rescued two female illegal immigrants who were in distress on Tuesday, May 6. The women told the agent that they had been assaulted by their smuggler.

The women were located shortly before 8 a.m. near milepost 20 on Arivaca Road. They showed visible injuries and appeared to be dehydrated. A fire rescue unit from Green Valley was called and they transported the women to the hospital when it was determined that they required further medical treatment.

The two women told officials that on Saturday, May 3, they were traveling north with a large group when they were unable to keep up and began to fall behind. When they asked the smuggler to slow down, he responded by striking both of them repeatedly before leaving them in a remote area. One woman said the attack injured her back while the other had bruises on her cheekbone and said she lost consciousness after being hit.

Over the last seven months, Border Patrol in the Tucson sector has rescued 130 people from life and death situations. In the majority of those cases, the people rescued had been abandoned by their smugglers in the desert.