This week, dozens of children were found alone at the U.S.-Mexico border, including a 10-year-old boy who crossed on Thanksgiving Day and a 4-year-old girl from Honduras.
Texas Department of Public Safety Lt. Chris Olivarez reported that over 100 unaccompanied children have encountered border agents since Sunday, Nov. 24.
“I want the American people to see the effects of the current border situation we’ve faced for the last three years, especially the impact on unaccompanied children crossing the border,” Olivarez shared with NewsNation Prime.
He noted that the children they’ve encountered range from 2 to 17 years old.
The 4-year-old girl was carrying a note with her when she met agents, which included a phone number and her first name. Her mother, who is already in the U.S., told NewsNation that she had entrusted her child to smugglers in Honduras and Mexico, hoping for eventual reunification.
“I found a coyote and paid them to bring her to me,” the mother explained. “She came alone with just the coyote. The last time I spoke to her was Saturday, and since then, I haven’t heard anything. I was told the coyote handed her over to another one, but I don’t know anything more.”
Olivarez highlighted that this situation is “all too common” and expressed concerns that the flow of unaccompanied minors may worsen.
“This really exposes the criminal operations at play and how some family members, if they are truly family, allow their children to make this dangerous journey at the hands of criminals,” Olivarez said.
He also pointed to the agreement between the Biden administration and Mexico to reduce border crossings, stating, “There are no safety mechanisms or protocols in place to protect unaccompanied children.”
The 4-year-old’s mother provided photos of her daughter to NewsNation. These images, sent by a smuggler while the child was still in Mexico, show other children in the background.
The mother told NewsNation that her daughter remains in U.S. immigration custody, with no clear timeline for her release to her in South Carolina.
