Profile Moral Support
By Patrick Butler
Texans Give Gifts to ‘Overwhelmed’ Border Patrol
THIS PAGE FROM TOP: PATRICK BUTLER THE EPOCH TIMES, CHARLOTTE CUTHBERTSON/THE EPOCH TIMES
Mercy Works hands out 600 ‘appreciation packs’ to Border Patrol agents in Rio Grande Valley
ho thinks of showing appreciation to southern U.S. Border Patrol agents as they grapple with a flood of illegal immigrants overwhelming their efforts? Beth Knox of Mercy Works in Garden Valley, Texas, and a team of like-minded souls did, distributing 600 “Border Patrol appreciation packs” valued at more than $15,000 to two different units near McAllen, Texas, on March 23. The idea all started with a Mercy Works trip in November to Reynosa, Mexico, and McAllen. Mercy Works is a faith-based nonprofit that provides free medical exams and dental clinics. On the Mexican side, there are wallto-wall tents in the city plaza of Reynosa, Knox said. “It’s packed out. They say there are about 4,000 immigrants living in that square block. “On the American side, we had dinner with a Border Patrol agent, a relative of one of our team members. What he said grabbed our hearts as he related what they were going through. “It was hard for us to hear how overwhelmed, how hated they feel, not only by migrants but even by some people on the U.S. side who are sympathetic to the migrants.” Knox said some agents had even been threatened by cartels on the American side. “We didn’t realize until that night the amount of pressure they were under. It’s not just that so many people are coming across. They think they don’t have the resources or the backing, and that’s stressful, especially when it has to do with the security of your country. “So we thought of Border Patrol appreciation packs, and put the word out for funds to make 600.” In March, they were delivered.
“I went to one of the larger Knox paused and looked units, and another team handout the window of her office. ed out about 200 at another “I think they feel frustratunit,” Knox said. ed and demoralized. It’s like “We spoke with some agents they were throwing up their in the muster room as we hands, saying, ‘What are we handed out their packs, which supposed to do?’” both surprised and affected The agents Knox’s team Beth Knox them. They were so appreciaspoke with specifically asked of Mercy Works. tive of the gesture. not to be identified. “They told us they were “I felt privileged to deliver ‘staring down the repeal of Title 42.’” appreciation packs that included little Title 42 is a Centers for Disease Control things like beef jerky, granola bars, Chapand Prevention order that was invoked Stick, and a $25 gift card in each of them in March 2020 under President Don- for local restaurants,” Knox said. “In each ald Trump to minimize the spread of bag, there was a letter of appreciation to COVID-19 by ensuring that only essential them, from us and all the Americans who travel occurred at U.S. borders. made this happen.” It directed that illegal immigrants In time for Easter, the thank you letter could be quickly expelled back to Mexico reads, in part: as a pandemic precaution, rather than be “We realize that the increased numbers processed under Title 8 immigration law, at our border this year have meant adwhich is a much more protracted process ditional work and extra burdens which inside the United States. test your resources and perseverance. “We asked a commander what the re“With that in mind, we wanted to enpeal would mean to them,” Knox said, courage you and let you know that there “and he told us, ‘It’s going to be total are untold numbers of citizens who apchaos down here.’ preciate your vigilance and integrity as “‘They’re going to come over in greater you go beyond the normal expectations numbers than we’ll be able to process in to meet the current need. the time given us by law. If we pass that “Please accept these small tokens of time, we have to release them. We took our gratitude, respect, and honor for an oath to do this work, and we feel we your service and sacrifice as you protect can’t do our jobs because of the policies.’” us, our families, and [our] communities.”
Border Patrol agents apprehend and transport illegal immigrants who have just crossed the river into La Joya, Texas, on Nov. 17, 2021. I N S I G H T April 22–28, 2022 51
