The Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in western Arizona is home to a newborn and a toddler who were abandoned by migrant traffickers. According to the Border Patrol, one of its agents rescued them. An agent learned where the kids were when one of the migrants in a group of border crossers detained on Thursday west of the Lukeville, Arizona, port of entry.
After that, a wailing 18-month-old and an unconscious 4-month-old were found face down. Both have been treated for medical issues at a hospital and have since been returned to Border Patrol custody.
Two young children, an infant and a toddler, were abandoned by smugglers in the Sonoran Desert yesterday, according to a statement from Tucson Sector Border Patrol Chief John Modlin. “This is not simply one another instance of traffickers taking advantage of people to make money. Cruelty exists here.”
It was unclear right away whether the traffickers accused of leaving the kids behind were among those detained. Authorities withheld information on the children, such as their genders, nationalities, and the names of their parents or legal guardians.
Southwest Arizona’s Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, a harsh, arid environment dotted with tall cactuses and other desert plants, spans along the border with Mexico. 130 miles southwest of Phoenix is roughly where it is.
The 517 square mile park is a preferred crossing point for certain smugglers due of its isolation. The location often yields the remains of alleged border crossers.
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument often experiences highs in the triple digits throughout the summer, but on Thursday, milder monsoon weather allowed for a high in the 90s.
While waiting for medical personnel from the Border Patrol and the National Park Service to arrive, the agent who discovered the children started providing first aid to the newborn.
The kids were transported to a hospital by an ambulance so they could get further medical care. Later, the youngsters were given over to Border Patrol agents, who were attempting to quickly put them with the Office of Refugee Resettlement, which is in charge of looking after migrant children who are apprehended in the country without family.
Unaccompanied minors crossing the border illegally have increased by 12%, according to the Tucson Sector of the Border Patrol.
Federal statistics published two weeks ago, however, shows that over the previous two months, both legal and illegal border crossings have decreased in the United States.
Many migrants were prevented from lawfully crossing the border during the epidemic by Title 42, commonly known as the “Remain in Mexico” policy, making them wait in Mexico while their cases were being handled. As a consequence, some individuals who wanted to immigrate to the United States turned to alternative strategies.
Migrants have long faced risk during illegal border crossings. However, there have been a number of fatal occurrences involving people traffickers attempting to enter the United States during the last year. 53 people perished in a tractor trailer that was abandoned in the sweltering heat of Texas in June. In a rollover accident in the same state two months before, more than a dozen migrants suffered injuries.
Not only after these occurrences, but also when it loosened several limits to let both Afghan and Ukrainian refugees into the nation, the U.S. administration has come under fire.
Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Chris Magnus said the Biden administration is working to establish a “fair and equitable” system for asylum seekers in an interview with CBS News’ Camilo Montoya-Galvez earlier this month.
Magnus said that processing all vulnerable groups fairly and equally was the company’s main objective. “I believe that this is something that we will keep pursuing. It may be quite difficult, depending on the situation.”
Magnus recognized the “extremely tough” conditions that migrants sent to Mexico must endure, but he said that each nation arriving at the southern border of the United States has “unique circumstances,” adding that Ukrainians are escaping an armed war in their country.
We’re talking about diverse populations from various nations, each with its own demands, and each requiring a distinct approach to processing, he added. “There are several variables at play. Not all populations will benefit from what works for one.”