U.S. Customs and Border Protection warned Thursday that people trying to cross the border illegally this weekend will face extreme 120-degree temperatures in remote parts of Arizona, and said attempting to make the journey in that heat could prove to be fatal.
“The life-threatening temperatures of the summer months are expected to peak this weekend, and the U.S. Border Patrol will be on high alert,” CBP said.
The agency said its trauma and rescue agents would be focusing on the Sonoran Desert area, where chances of survival are slim without adequate amounts of drinking water and frequent periods of rest in shade or air conditioning.
CBP said it’s worried for the safety of the border community and individuals who decide to cross illegally, and noted that crossing into the U.S. at any time of year can prove to be a “fatal endeavor.”
It takes days and even weeks to reach a populated area, CBP said. The agency warned that it is “impossible to physically carry enough water to survive for days while crossing through the harsh desert conditions found along the southern border.”
Still, CBP emphasized that efforts should be made to stay hydrated.
“Some succumb to the stress, but heat illnesses and deaths are preventable,” it said. “Body temperature can rise to dangerous levels if precautions are not taken. Adequate amounts of drinking water should be on hand and combined with frequent resting periods in the shade or air conditioning.”
