Three Border Patrol agents commit suicide in span of three weeks

Three Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents died by suicide in three weeks in November as officers continue to face an immigration crisis at the southern border. 

The recent string of suicides brings the total number of suicides within the agency this year to 14, more than any other year in the last decade, according to the CBP. 

“It’s a very serious epidemic that’s happening within the agency,” said US Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), whose congressional district runs along the US-Mexico border from Del Rio to El Paso.

The uptick in suicides within the agency comes as an unprecedented number of migrants attempt to cross the border. Since October 1, Border Patrol agents have encountered more than 400,000 migrants—a figure that is expected to reach more than half a million before mid-December. 

“Work has gotten very difficult on them,” explained Gonzales. “I’ve seen it in their faces. I’ve heard it in their voices for months now. It’s almost, ‘How much can a person take?’ And often, they’ve taken a lot before they break.”

On November 20, Border Patrol Agent Robert M. Boatwright became the latest agent to commit suicide. The U.S. Army veteran of 49 was stationed in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and had been working for the agency for 10 years. 

“Sadly, early indications suggest that BPA Boatwright succumbed to suicide,” tweeted Chief Raul Ortiz, the head of the Border Patrol.

“I recently met with BPA Boatwright’s co-workers, and they described his amazing work ethic and willingness to help others.”

On November 6 and November 13, Border Patrol Agents Roque “Rocky” Sarinana and Javier R. Fabela took their lives. 

According to CBP data, 149 agents have taken their lives since the agency started collecting data in 2007. The statistics show that the average age of an agent that dies by suicide is 41.