The missing Texas National Guard soldier who is presumed drowned after disappearing into the Rio Grande on Friday has been identified as Bishop Evans, 22, of Arlington, Texas, Fox News’ Bill Melugin reported Sunday.
Evans vanished beneath the surface of the turbulent river Friday morning near Eagle Pass while trying to rescue two migrants who have since been identified as drug traffickers. The search for his body continues, though a radio and some other equipment belonging to him have been recovered.
Texas Rangers “have determined that the two migrants were involved in illicit transnational narcotics trafficking,” the Texas Military Department said in a statement provided to Fox News.
Both drug traffickers are in Customs and Border Patrol custody.
Dive teams continue to scour the river near where Evans disappeared in the hopes of recovering his body.
“The search for the missing TMD soldier will continue until we have exhausted all available resources,” the Texas Military Department said in a statement. “The Texas Military Department is thankful to all interagency partners for their continued support in this operation to locate our missing soldier. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the family of the soldier.”
Representative Tony Gonzalez (R., Texas) tweeted out a picture of the guardsman’s body armor on Friday and asked for prayers for his grieving family.
Brave National Guardsman removed his armor before jumping in dangerous waters to save a human life. Please pray for the families of all those impacted. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/yo9CwHcw44
— Tony Gonzales (@TonyGonzales4TX) April 22, 2022
Evans was assigned to Operation Lone Star, Governor Abbott’s campaign to use the state’s National Guard troops to enforce immigration law. Texas Republicans have defended the initiative as an effort to fill the vacuum created by the Biden administration’s lax approach to border enforcement, which has led to a record-breaking surge in illegal border crossings.
CBP agents apprehended more than 2 million migrants at the southwest border during President Joe Biden’s first year in office, likely the highest number in over 20 years, according to a National Review analysis of CBP data.