An unaccompanied two-year-old child from El Salvador explains she arrived in the US by herself and that her parents are in the US. The child had a piece of paper with a phone number & name.
This morning, @TxDPS encountered a group of 211 illegal immigrants in Maverick County. Among the group were 60 unaccompanied children/minors ages 2 - 17 and 6 special interest immigrants from Mali & Angola.
This is a stark example of the precarious journey these children make from their home country & how criminal organizations traffic these children across the southern border & further into the interior.
Regardless of political views, it is unacceptable for any child to be exposed to dangerous criminal trafficking networks. With a record number of unaccompanied children and hundreds of thousands missing, there is no one ensuring the safety & security of these children except for the men & women who are on the frontlines daily. Despite the criticism over the years, the reality is that many children are exploited & trafficked, never to be heard from again. DPS has rescued over 900 children during #OperationLoneStar from abandonment & human smuggling.
Chris Olivarez
@LtChrisOlivarez
Lieutenant β’ Spokesperson with the Texas Department of Public Safety - South Texas Region
@TxDPS
