Border Patrol agents have found more than 3,500 unaccompanied children along the Rio Grande Valley Sector in the last two months, Valley Central reported.
Recent data shows that the number of unaccompanied children is increasing rapidly at the border, according to Valley Central.
#BORDERNEWS More than 3,500 children have been found crossing the border alone along the Rio Grande Valley, in the last 2 months. Some only months old.
The most recent was a group of three kids alone.
Here’s a small preview, the link has the full report. https://t.co/6V65qztJGx pic.twitter.com/ytg8bxXO7u
— Sydney Hernández (@SydneyHdzTV) December 4, 2020
“Within those groups are criminal people, sex predators and that’s why it’s such a huge issue for us to see these poor children out there,” Deputy Chief Patrol Agent In Charge of the Border Patrol Rio Grande Valley Sector Lloyd Easterling said. (RELATED: Border Patrol Catches Child Sex Offender Attempting To Illegally Enter The US)
Easterling also said agents routinely find toddlers, one, two, and three-year-olds with older siblings, according to Valley Central.
“With all the talk of DACA and amnesty, that’s one thing the smugglers are using,” Easterling said about children crossing the border.
Easterling went on to say that agents are beginning to see more family units and “given everything we believe is coming we think that number will correspond up,” Valley Central reported.
When unaccompanied children are found by agents, they are reportedly medically cleared and then transferred to the U.S. Office of Refugee and Resettlement. From there, they are placed in facilities throughout the country.