CBP Officers Thwart Alleged Child Smuggling Attempt at the Hidalgo International Bridge

HIDALGO, Texas-U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations (OFO) at the Hidalgo International Bridge arrested a man in connection with an alleged attempt to smuggle two undocumented minors through the Hidalgo International Bridge.

"Our CBP officers thwarted this alleged child smuggling attempt thanks to their experience and excellent interview skills," said Port Director Carlos Rodriguez, Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas Port of Entry.

On October 1, 2022, CBP officers assigned to the Hidalgo International Bridge encountered a male 50-year-old U.S. citizen accompanied by two minor females traveling from Mexico to the U.S. on foot. The man presented the minors as his cousins and presented U.S. birth certificates for them. During the examination, CBP officers discovered that the birth certificates did not belong to the minors, they were not U.S. citizens and they did not possess valid entry documents.

CBP OFO arrested the man and the minors, both Mexican citizens, were processed as unaccompanied undocumented noncitizens and were turned over to the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR).

Follow the Director of CBP's Laredo Field Office on Twitter at @DFOLaredo also U.S. Customs and Border Protection at @CBPSouthTexas for breaking news, current events, human interest stories and photos.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the comprehensive management, control, and protection of our nation's borders, combining customs, immigration, border security, and agricultural protection at and between official ports of entry.

Click 'Share This Page' button to display social media links.

Share This Page.