CBP: Migrant child apprehended in El Paso ‘recycled’ at least twice
Federal immigration agents say a migrant child apprehended with a family in El Paso “had been recycled” and forced to undertake the treacherous journey from Central America to the United States “in at least two prior occasions.”
Federal officials say individuals seeking asylum in the U.S. sometimes “recycle children,” the act of falsely claiming a child is their son or daughter in order to exploit loopholes in U.S. immigration law.
On Wednesday, May 1, 2019, Border Patrol Agents were processing a Central American family when the family “caught the attention of one vigilant immigration officer.”
While in the interview process, the officer noticed several inconsistencies that led him to suspect the child and the migrant claiming to be the parent were not related.
Federal agents were allegedly able to gain enough evidence to determine the child had been recycled in at least two prior instances.
“These groups have no concern for the welfare or safety of the children and family groups being smuggled to the Southwest Border. The U.S. Border Patrol has continuously warned about the existence of this type of illicit activity and exploitation of minors,” the U.S. Border Patrol said in a statement.
The Border Patrol said the was referred to Homeland Security Investigations, but did not reveal what happened to the migrant allegedly pretending to be the child’s parent.
