OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 6:15 PM PST – Fri. October 18, 2019
ICE Customs and Border Patrol have released the results of an April
program that sought to identify fraudulent family units at the El Paso
border. A Thursday report broke down the findings of the so called
“Family Fraud Initiative.”Reportedly 238 fraudulent families were identified at the border and 50 adults claimed to be unaccompanied minors. More than 350 individuals are facing federal prosecution for crimes including human smuggling, making false statements and illegal reentry.
Reports also said the initiative identified a massive child smuggling operation. Parents have entered into agreements to hand their children over to unrelated adults to falsely pose as a family unit.
This comes a handful of days after a British family was deported by U.S. immigration officials for crossing “accidentally” from Canada into the United States. The family was detained for two weeks and claimed they simply turned down the wrong road. Border Patrol issued a statement that said the family was driving “slowly and deliberately” through the border crossing. They have since pointed out other inconsistencies in the family’s statement and other implicating details in immigration records.
“During processing, record checks revealed two of the adults were previously denied travel authorization to come to the United States,” read the statement.
ICE has said they hope the Family Fraud Initiative will continue to stop these various crimes along all borders of the United States.
https://www.oann.com/family-fraud-initiative-busts-238-fake-family-units-at-border/
