A two-year-old migrant girl, looking for her parents, was found alone at the US-Mexico border on Sunday. The child, from El Salvador, was discovered by Texas authorities clutching a piece of paper with a first name and phone number. She was among a group of over 200 migrants, including 60 unaccompanied minors, detained after crossing into Maverick County, Texas.
The toddler, in a bright pink jacket, was travelling alone when she was found.
In a video released by the Texas Department of Public Safety, the child is seen answering questions from an officer, revealing she was separated from her parents. Asked where she was going, she said, “With my mom and dad.” When asked where they were, she responded, “United States.” Asked about her age, she held up two fingers.
The case is part of a growing crisis of unaccompanied minors crossing the border. According to the latest data, over 5.29 lakh migrant children have entered the US under the current administration, with more than 3.2 lost track of after crossing without parents.
Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Lt. Chris Olivarez expressed grave concern about the dangers these children face. “This is a stark example of the precarious journey these children make from their home country & how criminal organisations traffic these children across the southern border & further into the interior,” he wrote on X. “It is unacceptable for any child to be exposed to dangerous criminal trafficking networks,” he added.
Mr Olivarez said many children are exploited and trafficked, never to be heard from again. Texas authorities have made efforts to combat this issue, rescuing hundreds of children through initiatives like Operation Lone Star, aimed at tackling human smuggling and abandonment.
US President-elect Donald Trump's border enforcer, Tom Homan, is set to visit the US-Mexico border with Texas Governor Greg Abbott later this week, the NY Post reported. Mr Homan, who served as acting head of ICE during Trump's first term, has promised to increase efforts to stop illegal crossings. He also revealed plans to use the US military for non-enforcement tasks to assist in deporting illegal migrants.
