By Matthew Holloway |
Chief Patrol Agent (CPA) of the U.S. Border Patrol Tucson Sector Sean McGoffin shared powerful video Monday of its 20th annual Valor in the Desert ceremony in which the Border Patrol honors the fallen heroes who sacrificed their lives to defend America’s borders.
The ceremony featured an honor guard complete with a riderless horse, symbolically placed dress-duty campaign hats, and the solemn tolling of the bell for each of the officers lost in the line of duty. It also included remarks by McGoffin.
According to the CBP.gov In Memoriam page, seven officers, Jeffrey T. Kanas, Jacob A. Raines, Jose Martin Rodriguez-Lua Jr., Jesus Anaya, John Dale Leatham, Laurencio Gonzalez Jr., Christopher Luna, and Freddy Ortiz, were killed in the line of duty in 2024.
Year to date, one officer, David C. Maland, lost his life on January 20, 2025, when he was shot and killed by Teresa “Milo” Consuelo Youngblut, an alleged radical leftist transgender vegan cult-member during a traffic stop on Interstate 91, near Newport, Vermont, according to Law Enforcement Today. At the corresponding Valor Memorial in Washington, D.C. on May 19th CBP Acting Commissioner Pete Flores told the gathered Border Patrol staff and families, “Each year we gather here to honor our fallen CBP agents, officers and professional staff. This observance holds deep meaning for CBP, its employees, and the families and friends of the fallen, serving as a solemn reminder of the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our nation.”
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem offered a similar sentiment saying, “Today we honored not just the fallen heroes who gave their lives in the line of duty, but the families and friends who carry their memory forward. I encourage all who knew one of these fallen officers, agents, and individuals to continue to talk about the ones you’ve lost and share these stories and memories with their friends and family members. These men are examples of the same bravery and selflessness that have defined the American people for centuries, and their commitment to defending our nation will never be forgotten.”
“To our CBP families: We grieve with you and we honor you,” Flores told the families. “You will always remain a part of the CBP family.”
Noem added, “To the friends and family of the fallen here: we recognize your sacrifice, and we are eternally grateful. Let this ceremony, and the laying of this wreath, serve not as the end of our work of remembering them. Let it be just the beginning.”
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
