And there’s another strike against anyone who thinks U.S. border agents are just a bunch of jerks running around arresting illegal aliens.

Excuse me. Refugees.

A canine unit who worked with border agents to apprehend illegal aliens unlawfully crossing the U.S. border died Wednesday of heat stroke while trying to rescue some folks who’d decided they’d just disregard the law and hop across into the United States. Via U.S. Customs and Border Protection:

Canine Lazer (K9 Lazer) was working with his handler on a Falfurrias ranch, attempting to locate a group of undocumented immigrants who were in need of assistance, when Lazer began to display signs of heat exhaustion. His handler quickly took measures to cool off the canine and transported him to a veterinary clinic for treatment. Unfortunately, K9 Lazer succumbed to heat related injuries.

In their press release, CBP stated Lazer had “showcased his ability to locate injured and abandoned immigrants at the Border Safety Initiative event in Falfurrias.”

“Injured and abandoned immigrants?" How about, “illegal aliens who knowingly entrusted their lives to human smugglers and unapologetically broke U.S. immigration law?"

I understand this was a dog. But it’s a dog that died because a bunch of people with no regard for our nation’s laws decided to cross a deadly stretch of land into the United States illegally and got themselves into a bind. Which just seems like a complete and unnecessary waste.

But apparently, extreme heat conditions across the southwest U.S. isn’t deterring people from just meandering over the U.S.-Mexico border, laws be damned. The number of illegal aliens who’ve been apprehended so far this year has surpassed FY2015 numbers to date. And on days when canine units aren’t keeling over from the heat of searching for lost illegal aliens who shouldn’t be wandering around our desert in the first place, border agents are getting busted in the head with radios and rocks by violent illegal aliens.

Who also shouldn’t be wandering around our desert in the first place.

So kudos to this dog for being awesome. We’re just sorry our lack of border security put you in that rotten position in the first place.