Hidalgo, Texas - Officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the Hidalgo International Bridge arrested a woman from McAllen, Texas who allegedly attempted to smuggle a male infant into the United States.
The incident occurred on Thursday evening, May 23, when a 20-year-old female United States citizen who was traveling with a minor male child arrived at the Hidalgo-Reynosa International Bridge at the pedestrian walkway. The adult female presented a State of Texas issued driver's license for herself and a U.S. birth certificate for the child, who she claimed was her nephew. A CBP officer referred them to secondary for further inspection and document review and after additional questioning, it was revealed that the one-year-old baby was not related to the adult female. CBP officers discovered that he was in fact a citizen from Mexico without valid documents to legally enter or reside in the United States.
CBP officers arrested the adult female and she was incarcerated pending appearance before a U.S. Federal Magistrate on criminal charges for alleged violation of U.S. immigration law. The biological mother of the baby was contacted and she arrived at the international bridge to take custody and both returned back to Mexico.
"Our officers have detected another failed alleged child smuggling attempt due to outstanding interviewing techniques," said Efrain Solis Jr., port director, Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas. "We will arrest those involved in these type of illicit activities and CBP will seek prosecution to the fullest extent allowed by law."