West Texas Border Agents Find Adult Migrants Posing as Children

El Paso Sector Border Patrol officials report a trend where adult migrants attempt to pass themselves off as unaccompanied minors. The agents uncovered 23 such attempts so far this fiscal year.

El Paso Sector Chief Patrol Agent Gloria Chavez tweeted a report revealing an encounter with a male Guatemalan migrant. Chavez said the adult migrant attempted to pass himself off as a 17-year-old boy, presumably to take advantage of Biden Administration policies for unaccompanied minors.

Identity Fraud! #ElPaso #USBP #Agents encountered a Guatemalan male adult attempting to pass himself off as a 17-year-old. Already in FY 22, the El Paso Sector Intelligence Team has secured prosecution of a total of 23 adults posing as minors. Phenomenal Work SIU! @cbp pic.twitter.com/kuvEvZohDO

— Gloria I. Chavez (@USBPChiefEPT) April 2, 2022

The chief reported that agents in this sector uncovered 23 such fraudulent immigration attempts since the beginning of Fiscal Year ’22, which began on October 1, 2021.

CITIZEN ALERTS TO HUMAN SMUGGLING SCHEME! Great job by local citizen who alerted #USBP of person loading people into a cab of a semi-trailer. #ElPaso Station ASU agents located 16 migrants hiding inside, to include a minor. If you see something, say something! @cbp pic.twitter.com/pK9RgD4zZw

— Gloria I. Chavez (@USBPChiefEPT) April 2, 2022

Elsewhere in the El Paso Sector, a private citizen reported seeing a group of people being loaded into the rear of a tractor-trailer. El Paso Station agents responded to the area and located the rig. After stopping the suspected human smuggling vehicle, agents opened the rear of the trailer and found 16 migrants locked inside. Agents reported one of the migrants as a minor.