Texas DPS saves hundreds of unaccompanied children from trafficking

In 2024, Texas observed a significant issue with unaccompanied minors crossing the border. One such incident involved a group of 211 foreign nationals, including 60 children aged between 2 and 17, who had crossed the border illegally in Maverick County. Many of these children were from Central and South American countries such as Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. Officers from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), who have been working on Operation Lone Star since early 2021, reported that these children were often targeted by criminal organizations that trafficked them across the southern border. In videos shared by DPS Lt. Chris Olivarez, interviews revealed that children expressed their intent to reunite with parents who were already in the United States. The testimony of a two-year-old girl from El Salvador highlighted the precarious journeys these minors undertake, often arriving alone. They arrive with no adult supervision, which raises concerns about their safety in the hands of traffickers. Olivarez emphasized the dire situation, stating that many children had been exploited and trafficked, with hundreds of thousands missing. Since the operation's inception, DPS has rescued more than 900 unaccompanied children. The troubling pattern has prompted heightened scrutiny, especially given the increase in arrests of special interest aliens (SIAs), individuals who may pose a national security risk. Recent apprehensions included men from countries of concern, like Iran and Mali, emphasizing the complexities involved in this humanitarian crisis alongside border security threats.