Border crisis: three children abandoned by smugglers found on the banks of the Rio Grande

Three immigrant children were abandoned by smugglers on the banks of the Rio Grande, the river that separates Mexico and Texas. Border Patrol agents encountered the unaccompanied minors while conducting surveillance on two separate days.

Rio Grande Valley Sector Patrol Chief Gloria Chavez tweeted a photo Wednesday of a girl abandoned by traffickers near Weslaco, Texas. The offenders had left the minor alone on Tuesday night on the river bank:

Just one day earlier, Chavez had reported the discovery of two other abandoned children, aged eight and 11:

More than 25,000 abandoned children have been found by CBP

The agent reported that these minors are among the more than 25,000 unaccompanied immigrant children encountered by agents so far this fiscal year. Almost all of them were abandoned by human smugglers who, according to Chavez, "protect narcotics more than human life."

CBP Chief acknowledges border crisis

This Wednesday at a hearing before the House of Representatives, Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz stated that the The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has no operational control at the southern border, thus contradicting Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, who stated last year that "giant steps" were being taken to get the border crisis under control.

Ortiz stated that DHS has no control or proper means of preventing illegal entries into the country from immigrants, terrorists, narcotics and other contraband. He also acknowledged a "crisis situation" in some border regions.

He further indicated that nearly 1.5 million immigrants have entered the country illegally through the southern border. The new estimate includes 385,000 entries so far this fiscal year (since Oct. 1), and between 10% and 20% more untracked escapees:

Ortiz's figure and agency data show that since January 2021, some 4.2 million illegal immigrants have been allowed into the country.