A U.S. Border Patrol agent, Jorge Maldonado, has died in the line of duty in Texas, according to sources from federal law enforcement agencies. Maldonado, a supervisor based in Eagle Pass, south-central Texas, passed away on Wednesday. Representative Tony Gonzales (R-TX), whose district includes Eagle Pass, confirmed the news.
While the official cause of death has not been publicly disclosed, it is believed to have been related to a heat-related health incident and not the result of an assault or other violent act, according to two agents who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Maldonado was recognized in a 2020 Facebook post by the city of Eagle Pass as part of a celebration for Border Patrol agents who had recently become certified emergency medical technicians.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency, which oversees the Border Patrol, did not respond to requests for comment on Maldonado’s death. The agency has not released additional information on the circumstances surrounding his passing.
A private Facebook page for agents in Eagle Pass shared news of the line of duty death, with comments expressing condolences to the community. This loss comes just months after another Border Patrol agent, Chris Luna, died in a helicopter crash while on duty in March. Luna was also based out of an Eagle Pass station.
The U.S. Border Patrol has approximately 19,000 agents nationwide, and line of duty deaths are relatively rare.
