EDINBURG — The Border Patrol Rio Grande Valley Sector’s Missing Migrant Program helped identify a Guatemalan migrant whose body was found in the Delaware River in New Jersey, the agency said in a news release Thursday.
New Jersey state police requested assistance from the program after finding the man June 30 and provided images of the man’s fingerprints.
According to the release, the database contains biometric information for more than 200 million people that is otherwise unavailable to other law enforcement agencies.
Agents working with the program and the RGV Joint Forensic Center identified the man as Israel Mario Luciano-Alvarado. His identification was confirmed through collaboration with his family via the Guatemalan Consulate.
Border Patrol said the program’s primary mission is to save lives through the deployment of rescue beacons and location placards throughout the Valley. However, the successful identification of the deceased also provides closure to mourning families.
“The dedication of this team shows the underlying commitment to challenging situations and compassionate efforts made by both MMP and the investigators with the NJ State Police,” RGV Border Patrol Sector Chief Brian Hastings said in the release.
