Border Patrol Agents Report Health Problems Due To Massive Tijuana Sewage Spill

U.S. Border Patrol agents at the Imperial Beach station have reported experiencing a number of health problems, including rashes, infections, breathing issues and headaches, since February when 143 million gallons of sewage from Mexico spilled into the Tijuana River Valley. Agents at this particular station patrol the area as part of their normal duties.

Christopher Harris, a union representative from the National Border Patrol Council (Local 1613), said it's not one of the risks typically associated with policing and securing the border:

"They’re willing to put up with the normal hazards of law enforcement. We understand that’s part of our job. We get shot at. We accept all that. We do our best to mitigate it. We wear vests. We have trauma kits. But we can’t mitigate sewage and chemicals."

Harris said he has been pressuring administrators at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency to start taking steps to protect agents from toxin exposure.

Since June, more than 90 agents have reported sewage-related illnesses.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the Imperial Beach Border Patrol Station has about 300 employees who patrol the U.S.-Mexico border from the Pacific Ocean through the Tijuana River Valley. Some work on foot, some in ATVs or SUVs, others on horseback.

Agent Joel Sevilla, an ATV patroller, described his symptoms after visiting a sewage infested area:

"I had a really bad nasal infection, headaches and trouble breathing…. I was losing my breath really fast. I’m not known for that because I’m very active. So, I had to go to the doctors and the first time I went, they said that I had a nasal infection. They gave me some antibiotics and they treated it and it went away for like two or three days. Then it started happening again. What was worse were the headaches because I couldn’t sleep."

In total, Sevilla visited his doctor four or five times as a result of the exposure. He now patrols in a SUV instead of riding on his usual ATV.

"I don’t get the headaches anymore because I’m not riding around in all that dust," he said. "When the water dries out, it turns into dust and that’s what we breathe."

A spokesman for the U.S. Border Patrol, Michael Scappechio, said the agency is currently assessing the problem to develop both short and long-term solutions.

"Common reported acute injuries have ranged from upper-respiratory ailments to burns on extremities," he said. "Personnel have also reported damage to boots and gloves while performing their duties."

According to Scappechio, cross-border sewage has plagued the country for decades.

"Pinpointing the locations and sources of spills, including the contents of each incident, are critical to addressing the health and safety of our personnel," he said. "It is the intent on the part of CBP and USBP, that the collaborative effort amongst the stakeholders involved, will result in both a safer and healthier environment in the Tijuana River Valley shortly and for the long run."