Two American women were arrested at a California immigration checkpoint after U.S. Border Patrol agents discovered they were attempting to smuggle two young girls into the country.
The arrest occurred Tuesday at a Highway 86 checkpoint near Westmorland, according to a statement from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) released Thursday. Border Patrol agents with the El Centro Sector conducted the stop.
Authorities said one woman was behind the wheel while the other sat in the front passenger seat. Two girls, ages 10 and 12, were found asleep in the back seat. The women did not know the children, and their identities have not been released.
“The border environment has been rife with this type of activity over the past several years.”
— Chief Patrol Agent Gregory Bovino
The driver initially claimed they were traveling from Arizona to California. Later, she admitted they had entered the U.S. from Mexico,through the San Luis Port of Entry. The conflicting statements raised suspicion, prompting an Indio Station agent to direct the vehicle to secondary inspection.
During the inspection, agents found discrepancies between the girls’ ID cards and their actual photos and names. Upon further questioning, the women admitted they had no relationship with the children. The driver also said she did not know their mother.
CBP confirmed that the girls were unaccompanied minors from Mexico.
Chief Patrol Agent Gregory Bovino warned about the dangers of child trafficking:
“It’s almost unbearable to think about what heinous crimes await children who aren’t with their parents,” he said. “This is how the trafficking of children starts.”
He emphasized that while this activity has plagued the border for years, stricter enforcement and tougher penalties are now in place for those who exploit children.
“Migrants are incentivized by taxpayer-funded benefits — such as housing, travel and food — when they arrive in the Golden State.”
— CA State Rep. Carl DeMaio
Bovino’s statement comes amid growing concerns over the rise in child smuggling cases along the U.S.-Mexico border.
