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)

• 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

• 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:

• 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:

• 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:

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

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

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

Child Smuggling Case 7:Child Smuggling Case 7:

• Minor interdicted with counterfeit Lincoln Visa

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.

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

• 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

Contact or Questions

Christopher DombekDirector, Office of Alien Smuggling InterdictionU.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field OperationsE-mail: christopher.dombek@dhs.gov