H.R. 954: Honoring Fallen Border Patrol Agent, Luis A. Aguilar
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. THompson, Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security release the following prepared statement on the House floor in regards to support for H.R. 954, honoring a Border Patrol Agent who died in the line of duty:
"Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 954-- honoring senior Border Patrol agent Luis A. Aguilar, who lost his life in the line of duty near Yuma, Arizona, on January 19, 2008.
I would like to thank Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, a member of the Committee on Homeland Security, for introducing this important legislation.
Mr. Speaker, on January 19, 2008, Agent Aguilar was working with fellow Border Patrol agents to capture a suspected narcotics smuggler in the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area when he was struck and killed by the suspected smuggler’s vehicle, as it fled into Mexico.
A native of El Paso, Texas, Agent Aguilar had been assigned to the Yuma Border Patrol Station since joining the Border Patrol in July 2002.
He was just 32-years-old at the time of his death.
Agent Aguilar is survived by-
his wife, Erica;
his children, Luis and Arianna;
his father, Luis Aguilar;
his sister, Angie; and
his brother, senior Border Patrol Agent Marco Antonio Aguilar.
Sadly, Agent Aguilar’s mother, Cecilia Silva, recently passed away after her son’s tragic death.
We are here to honor Agent Aguilar, a young man who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the sovereign borders of the United States and make America more secure.
The mission of the U.S. Border Patrol is to control the nearly 6,000 miles of land border between ports of entry with Mexico and Canada and the coastal waters around Florida and Puerto Rico.
The death of Agent Aguilar serves as a stark reminder of the risks our front-line agents and officers face each day as they serve as the guardians of our Nation’s land borders.
As Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, I have been to the Southern border on a number of occasions.
I have witnessed firsthand the dedication of the men and woman of the U.S. Border Patrol—often under difficult and dangerous conditions.
They work long hours-- often late into the night, in extreme heat and cold.
Like Agent Aguilar, they are our nation’s last line of defense against would-be terrorists, drug traffickers and others who seek to enter the nation illegally.
Agent Aguilar's contribution to our nation's security deserves this recognition.
Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Senior Border Patrol Agent Luis Aguilar for his service to our nation and offer my deepest condolences to his family."
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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Please contact Dena Graziano or Adam Comis at (202) 225-9978.
