Texas border officials discover unaccompanied 4-year-old girl smuggled from Central America

 Authorities in Texas recently encountered a heartbreaking case involving a four-year-old girl smuggled alone from Central America with the hopes of reuniting her with her previously deported mother who is waiting in South Carolina.

The Texas Department of Public Safety (TxDPS) released a disturbing video showing a trooper interviewing the child, who had been found among over 200 undocumented immigrants crossing into Eagle Pass on Sunday, Nov. 24.

The toddler, believed to be from El Salvador, was carrying a note with a name and phone number – common for children trafficked alone across the border in an attempt to reunite with family. She told border officials she was headed to join her parents already in the United States. This girl was one of 60 unaccompanied minors discovered in the group of migrants.

Lt. Chris Olivarez, a spokesperson for TxDPS, condemned the situation, saying that regardless of political views, exposing children to dangerous criminal trafficking networks is unacceptable. He pointed out that many trafficked children are never seen again and stressed that it is the law enforcement officers on the frontlines who are ensuring the safety of these vulnerable children.  

NewsNation later reached out to a woman who claimed to be the child’s mother, Patty, currently living in South Carolina. Patty explained that she had been previously deported with her daughter and had paid smugglers $4,500 to bring her daughter from El Salvador to join her in the United States.

Patty revealed she had arranged the journey through smugglers in both Honduras and Mexico and had not heard from her daughter since the smugglers informed her they had handed the girl off to another coyote – a local term for people who smuggle migrants across the border – as part of the operation to cross the border.

"I found a coyote, and I paid for them to bring her to me," Patty said. "She came alone. It was just the coyote. The last time I talked to my daughter was Saturday, and I haven't heard anything since."

Patty also shared her frustration over the lack of communication from the smugglers, who had stopped answering her calls as her daughter neared the U.S. border. "I had one of their numbers, but they're not answering me. They told me they were done with their job delivering my daughter to immigration," Patty said. She is now waiting for federal authorities to reunite her with her daughter.

Unaccompanied minor discovered thanks to Texas' Operation Lone Star

The case involving Patty's daughter is part of a larger anti-illegal immigration effort in Texas known as Operation Lone Star.

Launched by Gov. Greg Abbott in 2021, the operation combines the efforts of the TxDPS and the Texas Military Forces, which includes the National Guard, State Guard, Militia and Rangers.

The operation combats human smuggling, illegal immigration and drug trafficking through the southern border. Through this initiative, over 900 children have been rescued from human trafficking and abandonment. Olivarez emphasized the importance of Operation Lone Star, noting the increasing number of unaccompanied minors crossing the border.

Patty's story is a grim reminder of the dangers facing unaccompanied minors making the treacherous journey across the U.S.-Mexico border.

Despite political debates surrounding immigration policy, the situation underscores the need for continued vigilance and intervention to protect vulnerable children. The growing number of children being trafficked and the increasing exploitation of minors at the border highlight the urgent need for action to ensure their safety and well-being.