Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas praised “heroic” Border Patrol agents Wednesday for saving lives of migrants surging into the U.S., and warned families against sending or bringing their children on the journey north.
Mr. Mayorkas highlighted the horrors smugglers put people through — particularly children — on the trip, and pointed to recent tragedies involving children left in the hands of smugglers.
In one incident Tuesday Border Patrol agents watched on video as smugglers dropped two young girls from the 14-foot high border wall into New Mexico, then fled back into Mexico, abandoning the children, ages 3 and 5.
Agents responded to the spot and rescued the girls, both from Ecuador.
Last week agents rescued and revived a mother and young child who were drowning in the Rio Grande, but were unable to revive the woman’s other child, a 9-year-old.
“The inhumane way smugglers abuse children while profiting off parents’ desperation is criminal and morally reprehensible,” Mr. Mayorkas said.
He said children are “exceptionally vulnerable when placed in the hands of smugglers.”
Former Homeland Security officials say the Biden administration is to blame for a rise in deaths due to policies that have enticed a new surge of migrants trying to reach the U.S,
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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