Eagle Pass, TEXAS – Eagle Pass remains the epicenter of immigrant crossings.

According to a tweet from the US Border Patrol’s Del Rio Chief Patrol Agent Jason Owens, 3,431 apprehensions took place over the weekend, with nine of those immigrants discovered to be criminals.

While some immigrants take the risk to wade the Rio Grande River waters on their own, others paid to be guided.

“We have (agents) out along the border. We have cameras and technology,” Owens said. “As soon as we detect people approaching the river from the south side, our folks are moving.” During a boat tour for media last week with the agency’s boat patrol, KSAT photojournalist Sal Salazar captured a group of five people using a rope to make their way across the river.

“That’s the guide, right?,” asked one of the agents on the boat.

A young man wearing a black hat, dark sunglasses, a black T-shirt and neck gaiter to cover his face is identified by agents as the guide. He leads four migrants from Venezuela to the US, holding the hand of one of the women. As the two Border Patrol agents approach him on a boat, the young man takes his glasses off to make eye contact and remains calm as he makes his way back to Mexico. The federal agents keep a close eye on the man, but do not take him into custody. On the river bank, a Mexican rescue boat approaches and briefly speaks to the guide.

According to the agents, the rescue boat on the Mexican side does not have authority to detain a person, including a smuggler. Only the Mexican military or local police in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, can detain and arrest the man. However, no patrols were seen nearby.

As per US officials, CBP told KSAT that a guide or smuggler cannot be detained on the US side in order to not risk the safety of the agents.

The man eventually disappeared into the brush in Mexico, but it likely will not be his last trip.

Also on KSAT.com:

• Border Patrol opens new processing facility in Eagle Pass, influx of migrants continues
• White House responds to Gov. Abbott’s decision to apprehend, transport migrants to U.S.-Mexico border
• Gov. Greg Abbott empowers state authorities to return migrants to border crossings