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Overview of the Smuggling of Child Migrants
Presented byChristopher Dombek
United States Department of Homeland SecurityUS Customs and Border Protection
Office of Alien Smuggling Interdiction (ASI)
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• The smuggling of child migrants is a problem throughout the western hemisphere and it affects all countries in the region whether as a source, a place of transit, or a destination.
• Many families choose to pay someone to escort their children via airplane rather than face a potentially dangerous crossing at the southwest border.
• Child migrants traveling as impostors to genuine documents is one of the most common scenarios.
• The child migrant is often escorted by unrelated adult who poses as a family member.
OverviewOverview
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• Minor child escorted by unrelated adult
• Traveling as Impostor to Lost/Stolen U.S. Passport
• Child was citizen of Dominican Republic
Child Smuggling Case 1:Child Smuggling Case 1:
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• Male Nicaraguan escorted child to U.S.
• Subject wore airline crew uniform, but did not work for carrier
• Male child was impostor to daughter’s passport
• Boy was dressed in a pink shirt and coached on answers
• Subject escorted 6 other children with same passport
Child Smuggling Case 2:Child Smuggling Case 2:
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• Children from Ecuador joining family in New York
• Mostly active in 2008 and 2009 but only 2 cases in 2010
• Impostor to U.S. passport or other documents
Child Smuggling Case 3:Child Smuggling Case 3:
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Child Smuggling Case 4:Child Smuggling Case 4:
• CBP in Houston identified a Honduran and Spanish national escorting two USC minors that were not his children.
• Subject was referred to CBP secondary for further examination.
• During examination images and videos of child pornography were discovered on the suspects cellular phone.
• The subject was subsequently arrested by ICE and the children were turned over to Child Protective Services
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Child Smuggling Case 5:Child Smuggling Case 5:
• Colombian minor denied boarding in Bogotá
• Impostor to U.S. passport
• Destined to New York-JFK Airport
• Traveling alone
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Child Smuggling Case 6:Child Smuggling Case 6:
• Offloaded Salvadorian national attempting to travel to U.S.
• Fraudulent U.S. Transportation Letter
• Routing usually from Guatemala to U.S. directly or via Mexico
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Child Smuggling Case 7:Child Smuggling Case 7:
• Minor interdicted with counterfeit Lincoln Visa
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Child Smuggling Case 8:Child Smuggling Case 8:
• Chinese nationals transit Latin America with genuine and fraudulent documents en route to the U.S.
• Large number of the Chinese are minors
• Also seen on Cuban Tourist Cards and passports from Belize, Korea, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, U.K., U.S., etc.
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Child Smuggling Case 9:Child Smuggling Case 9:
• Minor in El Salvador denied boarding prior to flight to U.S.
• Presented counterfeit U.S. Non-immigrant Visa
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• Child migrant smuggling is an ongoing international problem that affects all countries in this region.
• Children face additional vulnerabilities to their safety due to age and lack of financial resources.
• Smuggled migrant children could become potential victims of human trafficking.
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is committed to working with other government partners, both foreign and domestic, to help combat this problem.
ConclusionConclusion
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Contact or Questions
Christopher DombekDirector, Office of Alien Smuggling InterdictionU.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field OperationsE-mail: [email protected]