Speeches and Statements

CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) continues to investigate the tragic death of an 8-year-old girl in U.S. Border Patrol custody, which occurred on May 17 in Harlingen, Texas.

The recent in-custody death of an eight-year-old child in our custody in Harlingen, Texas was a deeply upsetting and unacceptable tragedy. We can —and we will— do better to ensure this never happens again. 

The CBP Office of Professional Responsibility’s (OPR) updated statement on the investigation of this May 17, 2023 death provides important new information on this tragic death that will inform our efforts to ensure that this does not happen again.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Customs and Border Protection Acting Commissioner Troy A. Miller issued the following statement today on the results of a two-month Department of Homeland Security operation, ending on May 8, that targeted fentanyl smuggling along the southwest border of the U.S. and led to more than 100 arrests and the seizure of more than 4,700 pounds of fentanyl:

On May 18, at approximately 9:04 p.m., the US Border Patrol Tucson Sector Tactical Operations Center advised the Ajo Border Patrol Station that the Tohono O’odham Nation Police Department was requesting assistance from Border Patrol agents to respond to a shots fired call west of the Menagers Dam Village. The police department requested agents meet at the local recreation center prior to responding to the location. The Ajo Border Patrol Station transmitted a request over service radio for any available units to respond at approximately 9:06 p.m.

We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of an eight-year-old girl who was in CBP custody with her parents earlier this week. Consistent with CBP protocol, the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) is conducting an investigation of the incident.  

The health and safety of individuals in our custody, our workforce, and communities we serve is paramount. To that end, we must ensure that medically fragile individuals receive the best possible care and spend the minimum amount of time possible in CBP custody. 

CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) is investigating the tragic death of an eight-year-old child in U.S. Border Patrol Custody which occurred on May 17, 2023, in Harlingen, TX. Consistent with agency policy and CBP’s commitment to transparency and accountability, we are sharing information about this incident as quickly as possible.

Today, an eight-year-old girl tragically passed away while in U.S. Border Patrol custody in Harlingen, Texas. The child and her family were in custody at the Harlingen Station where she experienced a medical emergency. Emergency Medical Services were called to the station and transported her to the local hospital where she was pronounced dead. 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Customs and Border Protection Acting Commissioner Troy Miller issued the following statement today:

“Earlier this year, the United States announced parole processes for Venezuelans, Cubans, Haitians, and Nicaraguans, which provide individuals with safe and orderly pathways to access the United States, and imposes consequences for those who do not use them.

WASHINGTON – El Comisionado Interino de Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza de Estados Unidos, Troy Miller, emitió las siguientes declaraciones en el día de hoy:

“A principios de este año, Estados Unidos anunció procesos de permiso condicional (parole) para venezolanos, cubanos, haitianos y nicaragüenses, que confieren una vía segura y ordenada para ingresar a los Estados Unidos e imponen consecuencias para quienes no las utilicen." 

YUMA, AZ.-On April 3, 2023, at approximately 3:37 p.m., a Border Patrol agent assigned to the Yuma Station patrolling the International Border Fence observed footprints leading north from the border fence.

On April 26, 2023, at approximately 3:12 p.m., a male traveler, later identified as a U.S. citizen, applied for entry into the United States via the pedestrian lanes at the Progresso Port of Entry and was inspected by a Customs and Border Protection Officer. The man was referred to secondary inspection by the officer due to a computer-generated referral; he collapsed to the floor while walking to secondary inspection.

“I am incredibly proud of the members of our U.S. Customs and Border Protection workforce who, together with partners at the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office, apprehended the suspect of Friday’s brutal murders in Texas. CBP has been supporting the ongoing operation for several days. Tonight, agents from the Border Patrol’s elite BORTAC unit apprehended the suspect without incident.

On February 19, at approximately 11 p.m., U.S. Border Patrol personnel operating a remote camera detected a group of three individuals suspected of illegally entering the United States from Canada into Vermont.  Border Patrol radio communication personnel transmitted information about the individuals to Border Patrol agents and, at approximately 11:15 p.m., patrolling agents responded to the area approximately 1.9 miles southeast of the Derby Line, Vermont Port of Entry, to apprehend the group.

On January 27, 2023, at approximately 12:08 a.m., a Border Patrol camera operator spotted a group of five suspected undocumented migrants scaling the International Border Barrier, approximately 3.5 miles west of the San Ysidro Port of Entry. The camera operator broadcasted the information via radio to Border Patrol agents in the area. An agent arrived on the north side of the secondary barrier a short time later, as some of the migrants were descending from the barrier. The agent observed one migrant, later identified as a male citizen of Mexico, fall off the secondary barrier.

On April 2, 2023, at approximately 8:37 p.m., a Border Patrol agent observed a white Nissan Rogue sports utility vehicle circumvent a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint located on Interstate 10, approximately 23 miles west of Las Cruces, New Mexico, and began to follow. The agent activated his emergency equipment to conduct a vehicle stop at approximately 8:39 p.m.  A second agent responded to assist.

On March 23, 2023, at approximately 9:26 a.m., a Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office deputy witnessed a 2014 GMC Sierra four door pickup truck traveling northbound on Highway 80 south of Rodeo, New Mexico, at approximately mile marker 1. The Sierra was traveling approximately 80 miles per hour in a 55 mile per hour speed zone. The deputy attempted to initiate a vehicle stop at mile marker 2 but the Sierra failed to yield to the deputy’s emergency equipment.

Tucson, Ariz.-On February 11, 2023, at approximately 5 p.m., Border Patrol agents assigned to the Willcox Station observed a red 2003 Toyota Corolla depart the Highway 191 Checkpoint, located approximately 29 miles north of Douglas, Arizona, without being inspected. A Douglas Station agent, also working at the checkpoint, activated the emergency equipment on his marked Border Patrol unit and initiated a pursuit of the Corolla.

On March 14, 2023, at approximately 6:18 p.m. a U.S. Border Patrol remote camera operator observed multiple suspected undocumented migrants load into a BMW sedan, approximately one mile north of the Port of Entry at Sasabe, Ariz. The camera operator transmitted the information to Border Patrol agents in the area via radio.

On January 14, 2023, the Caribbean Air and Marine Operations Center detected a suspected target of interest north of Fajardo, Puerto Rico, and continued to monitor the suspect vessel as a CBP vessel from the CBP marine docks in Ceiba, Puerto Rico, was dispatched to intercept it. Three CBP Marine Interdiction Agents and a Puerto Rico Police Department task force officer on board the CBP vessel departed the docks in Ceiba at approximately 11:30 p.m. 

On February 6, 2023, at approximately 12:05 a.m., a black GMC Yukon SUV approached the U.S. Border Patrol immigration checkpoint located near mile marker 26 on State Highway 185, approximately 23 miles northwest of Las Cruces, N.M. The vehicle stopped at the primary inspection point and a Border Patrol agent approached the vehicle. While inspecting the vehicle, the agent noticed multiple people laying on the floorboard of the vehicle. The agent suspected the individuals laying on the floorboard of the vehicle might be undocumented migrants.

On February 25, 2023, at approximately 3:35 a.m., Laredo Border Patrol Sector Communications personnel broadcasted information via radio to Border Patrol agents indicating that a remote camera operator spotted a group of suspected undocumented migrants near Rio Bravo, Texas. Agents heard the notification and responded to the area.

On January 13, 2023, at approximately 11:00 a.m., Border Patrol agents assigned to the Ajo Border Patrol Station apprehended seven undocumented migrants approximately 39 miles northwest of the Lukeville, Arizona, Port of Entry. One of the migrants, later identified as a male citizen of Mexico, sustained an injury to his left ankle while attempting to elude apprehension. Agents contacted Tucson Sector radio communications and requested medical assistance for the injured migrant via radio at 11:08 a.m.

On January 15, 2023, at approximately 10:52 p.m., Border Patrol agents assigned to the El Paso Station responded to a sensor activation approximately four miles east of The Bridge of the Americas Port of Entry. The first agent arrived in a fully marked United States Border Patrol transport van via the Loop 375 Border Highway and walked to a chain link fence on the elevated levy road. From this position, the agent, using a flashlight, observed a man in the All-American Canal located between the chain link fence and the International Border Barrier.

On January 8, 2023, at approximately 10:50 p.m., Border Patrol agents working approximately five miles north of the Santa Teresa Port of Entry in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, observed a white Nissan Sentra sedan, suspected of human smuggling, travel east on Strauss Road. Another agent working in the area observed the driver of the Nissan Sentra turn north onto Pete Domenici Highway.

On Feb. 3, 2023, at approximately 10:57 p.m., a Minnesota National Guardsman, assigned to the U.S. Border Patrol and working as a camera operator, spotted a group of suspected undocumented migrants scaling the International Border Barrier, approximately 2.5 miles east of the San Ysidro Port of Entry. The camera operator transmitted the information via radio to Border Patrol agents in the area. An agent responded to the area to interdict the migrants at approximately 10:58 p.m..