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  4. CBP Officers Stop Alleged Smuggling Attempt of a Minor Child

CBP Officers Stop Alleged Smuggling Attempt of a Minor Child

Release Date
Wed, 12/28/2011

Laredo, Texas - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Laredo Port of Entry intercepted a woman for alleged violations of immigration law. The U.S. citizen allegedly presented a U.S. birth certificate for a Mexican child in an alleged attempt to bring the child into the country.

On Dec. 26 at the Lincoln Juarez International Bridge #2, a 41-year-old female U.S. citizen who resides in Dallas, Texas, applied for admission to enter the United States as the driver of a black 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe accompanied by a minor child. A CBP officer's primary inspection resulted in the pair being referred to CBP secondary for further examination of the U.S. birth certificate presented as an entry document for the minor. In passport secondary, CBP officers used a CBP database and discovered that the presented birth certificate had not been issued to the minor for whom it was being presented. CBP officers' examination resulted in identifying the minor child as a citizen of Mexico with no legal immigration documents to enter or reside in the U.S.

CBP officers seized the document; the adult female was taken into custody for alleged violations of immigration law. The minor child was turned over to his parents and returned to Mexico.

"This minor child is back with his family in Mexico, the woman who allegedly attempted to smuggle the child into the country will now face immigration violation charges in federal court. I congratulate our officers for their vigilance as they safeguard our country's borders," said Sidney Aki, CBP port director in Laredo.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021