AMAC Exclusive – By Andrew Abbott
As the crisis at the southern border continues unabated, unaccompanied children have tragically found themselves facing a slew of horrors on their weeks-long journey to the United States. Though their stories often go unreported, it is this most vulnerable group that has perhaps suffered the most as a result of the Biden administration’s horrific border policies.
From October 2020 to September 2021, Customs and Border Patrol agents reported more than 147,000 encounters with unaccompanied minors at the U.S.-Mexico border, shattering the previous record of 69,000. Through July of this year, Border Patrol agents have already encountered more than 129,000 unaccompanied minors, meaning that the country will almost certainly see a new record again this year.
These unaccompanied children are often the most vulnerable to the predations of human traffickers and drug smugglers who accompany them on their long journey to the United States. While CBP data reflects those who actually do make it into the country, thousands more die along the way. By some estimates, 60% of minor girls journeying to the United States become victims of rape or child pornography along the way. Cartels often force young boys to ferry drugs and other contraband across the border, and human smuggling of unaccompanied minors has become a prime recruitment source for criminal enterprises.
One harrowing account published by the Daily Beast follows the story of Valeria and Fernanda, 8 and 4, sisters from Guatemala who were dropped off by their mother, Francisca, at the Mexico-Guatemala border last year. After their father’s death, Francisca promised her daughters that all their dreams would come true in the United States. Valeria describes how, throughout the long journey, “I had to take care of my younger sister; I found a baby’s bottle for her because I know what she eats and changed her diapers.” She further recounts sleeping in dark rooms and having little to eat.
After arriving in the United States, the girls stayed with a family acquaintance already living in the country. But after struggling to adjust, Valeria and Fernanda were deported back to Guatemala. When they arrived, however, they learned that their mother had died trying to cross the border just a few weeks before. They now reside with an uncle.
Even for those unaccompanied children who do make it to and remain in the United States, a better life than the one they left behind is far from assured. Without parents or family members, many resort to a life of crime from a young age – particularly boys, who are ideal recruits for gangs. In 2018, Immigration and Customs Enforcement staged a series of raids across New York City, ultimately arresting 475 gang members. Of those, 99 came to America as unaccompanied minors. While some joined willingly, some joined out of pure necessity, while others were blackmailed with threats to their loved ones back home.
While the Biden administration has oscillated between attempting to shirk blame for the crisis and pretending it does not exist, there’s little denying that Biden’s policies and rhetoric are driving the surge in illegal crossings generally and the rise in unaccompanied minor crossings particularly. In the days following Biden’s election, a Mexican human smuggler known as “El Cuate” expressed excitement at what Biden’s victory would do for his business. “We think he will not be as harsh as Trump,” he said. “So we could go back to Obama times where we could get a lot of people across. At least it was not as hard as it is with Trump.”
As the crisis first began to make national headlines last year, it seemed as though Biden and his “border czar” Kamala Harris recognized the scope of the problem and were beginning to reverse course. In June 2021, Harris explicitly told would-be migrants “do not come” to the United States. There were also some reports that Biden was repairing and rebuilding parts of Trump’s border wall.
Soon, however, the new cycle shifted and so too did the attention of the Biden administration, even as the crisis only continued to worsen. Now, Biden appears to be doubling down on his earlier failed policies, moving to end Title 42 and Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” program. Border experts predict both of those decisions are likely to be seen in Central America as another sign of lax border policies and further incentivize human and drug smuggling, including the wave of unaccompanied minors.
For someone who sold himself on the campaign trail as a “compassionate” leader, Biden has shown little remorse for the tragedies faced by thousands of families as a result of his destruction of the southern border. Instead, he seems more concerned with appeasing the radical open-borders advocates who have the ear of his administration.
Andrew Abbott is the pen name of a writer and public affairs consultant with over a decade of experience in DC at the intersection of politics and culture.
ARREST the whole biden administration for treason and murder!!!
and WHERE are these children? No news at all about what happens to them, our foster system is already overloaded, there’s no room! There are many compassionate people who would be willing to help, but the news blackout is so great–what, exactly, did the administration DO with these kids?
What parent would drop their child at the Mexico border? And we want this kind of people immigrating here? Coming for “A Better Life” is not legal admission to the USA. Plenty of US citizens want a better life. Joe Biden is directly responsible for this invasion. Doesn’t matter who told him to do it! HE is responsible. No more DACA kids because this is what these unaccompanied minors will be! Every illegal immigrant, no matter how long they have lived here) should be deported and refused services paid by US taxpayers. We have laws in this country that are being ignored.
Joe Biden and the WH cabal do not care what happens to these children, they do not care. We all have solid proof: if they cared they would do everything in their power to protect the children, but they don’t care.
Biden and his administration should be held liable for all the deaths from Fentanyl, child and women sex trafficking and allowing the immigrants to come in illegally. Shall we say illegal actions started at the day he was voted in? This great country is no longer safe! And now they are pushing our children to change their biological gender as well as not like the other beautiful colors of people.
I’M sorry but the man is an a hole.
It is unbelievable that we have reached to point where our own government is perfectly fine with putting all kinds of people (including it’s own citizens) in grave danger because it is looking for a way to remain in power. (And we have a corrupt press that covers for them. It’s insanity.)
I think the WH crew is in bed with the cartels & china. Apparently we don’t have enough drugs and uneducated people in the USA. So we replace the victims of ODs with the uneducated who are enslaved to the cartel. This is ridiculous and I think the WH crew should be held responsible.
Trump had the border under control, sanctioned Russia & Iran, but Biden flipped Trump’s policies. Reports share: Biden is CCP endorsed, & the Bidens gained millions from China. Cheney & Harris’s husbands worked with China, & Cheney’s husband is defending Hunter. A big concern is that a Chinese Elite owns 140,000 TX energy acres near the S. Air Force Base & China owns 300 more near N.D. Air Force Base. It will be a challenge to monitor these, while there are estimated 60+ Soc/Communists in the Democrat Party, & some in CIA. Perhaps there are some in the FBI, which should be reported. Soc.Soros, Pelosi, Soc./CCP Dems had Anti Trump Resistance to regain Obama/Biden’s Socialist agenda. The China Green Deal only funds more of China’s batteries, electric cars, & solar panels, along with their 2,400 products & 70+ industries, with headquarters in U.S. & China. These are all a threat to U.S. National Security.
Sad story but we can not take care of 160 different countries children who speak different languages and different health issues. They should all be sent back to country of origin. If the parents do not care enough for them and send them here they should be sent to an orphanage in the country of origin to be adopted by parents who do want them
Biden is cruelly ignoring the plight of the children who are assaulted and killed because of his open door policies. The propaganda media are covering for Biden’s depraved indifference to all the suffering and tragic outcomes of young people down to babies, but AMAC and many others know the horrible, disgusting truth. More and more Americans can’t even stand the sight of Biden, who is religious in words only. His actions and lack of actions betray who he really is.
This all makes me sick! We as Americans are just trying to stay afloat and does anyone care about our plight? I am disheartened and truly sad for the children, and President Trump had a handle on all of it, and that is what a proper President does, is concerned about the welfare of the citizens of the country he presides over.
The lying, careless, egotistical fool that stole the election does not, so why should he care about countless children?
My heart goes out to all those babies/children, especially left alone. So sad 🙁
this is one reason why biden and his administration should be arrested and tried for Murder for his Open Border Policy. Lets not stop at these children being molested, raped, murdered .. How about the 10`s of Thousands of Americans being Murdered Yearly because of the Fentanyl being brought into Our Country. Right now there is enough to Kill Every Person in the United States 7 times .. Think about this ALSO.. fjb
We are supposed to pray for our leaders and so here is my prayer: Dear Lord God please visit your vengeance on what passes for leadership in Washington DC?
Then keep the little brats at home!!!!!! problem solved
Compassionate leader for who? Illegals. Why not have compassion for struggling Americans who have to support these people who are coming here illegally.