Two U.S. Marines deployed to the southern border are dead, and a third is fighting for his life after a vehicle crash near Santa Teresa, New Mexico. The military confirmed the accident happened Tuesday morning during a convoy operation. As of now, President Donald Trump, whose border security order sent troops to the region, has not commented on the incident.
The Marines were heading from Santa Teresa to El Paso, Texas, when the vehicle rolled over. It wasn’t a military vehicle. A defense official, speaking anonymously to the Associated Press, said it was a civilian vehicle and no civilians were hurt.
The two Marines killed have been identified as Lance Cpl. Albert A. Aguilera, 22, of Riverside, California, and Lance Cpl. Marcelino M. Gamino, 28, of Fresno, California. Both were combat engineers with the 1st Marine Division, part of Joint Task Force – Southern Border.
Aguilera joined the Marine Corps in March 2023. Gamino enlisted in May 2022. They were both assigned to Task Force Sapper.
The third Marine, who has not been named, remains in critical condition at University Medical Center in El Paso, where all three were taken after the crash. Aguilera and Gamino were pronounced dead at the hospital.
“The loss of Lance Cpl. Aguilera and Lance Cpl. Gamino is deeply felt by all of us,” said Lt. Col. Tyrone A. Barrion, commanding officer of 1st Combat Engineer Battalion and Task Force Sapper. “I extend my heartfelt condolences and prayers to the families of our fallen brothers. Our top priority right now is to ensure that their families, and the Marines affected by their passing, are fully supported during this difficult time.”
This is the first fatal incident tied to the current deployment of troops at the southern border, according to The Washington Post. The region near Santa Teresa sits just west of Fort Bliss, a key Army base in West Texas used for border operations.
The Marines were part of a broader mission supporting the U.S. government’s efforts to reinforce the border.
