Toddlers abandoned by smugglers at border wall released from Border Patrol custody
Border Crime
Ecuadorian girls ages 3 and 5 now in care of Office of Refugee Resettlement; consulate says reunification with parents in New York City likely
by: Julian Resendiz
Posted: Apr 12, 2021 / 05:33 PM GMT-0600 / Updated: Apr 12, 2021 / 05:33 PM GMT-0600
EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – The two Ecuadorian toddlers caught by a surveillance camera being dropped over the border barrier and abandoned by smugglers are one step closer to being reunited with their family in the United States.
The girls ages 3 and 5 on Monday were released from Border Patrol custody and placed in the care of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement, a federal official said.
Dropping toddlers over border wall reflects smugglers’ mentality that ‘migrants are merchandise’
“A case worker from HHS will begin to work with them. Most of the time they reach out to family members for interviews and vetting to make sure there’s a safe place for the child,†said Landon Hutchens, a spokesman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. “Most of the time they try to place them with a family member – a parent, an uncle or somebody else. And if that’s not available, they try to place them in foster care.â€
https://www.borderreport.com/hot-topics/border-crime/toddlers-abandoned-by-smugglers-at-border-wall-released-from-border-patrol-custody/