LUKEVILLE, Ariz. — Two small children were rescued by the Tucson Sector Border Patrol after being found stranded in the middle of the Sonoran Desert on Thursday.
A group of detained migrants informed border agents that a 4-month-old and an 18-month-old had been left alone west of the Lukeville Port of Entry, officials said.
Agents were able to respond and locate the children. The 4-month-old was found face down and unresponsive. A border patrol agent was able to begin first aid and revive the infant.
“Yesterday smugglers left two young children—an infant and a toddler— in the Sonoran Desert to die,” said Tucson Sector Border Patrol Chief John Modlin. “This is not just another example of smugglers exploiting migrants for money. This is cruelty. And it is gut-wrenching. I commend our agents for their quick response to this dreadful incident and to every incident in which migrant lives are at stake.”
The children were transported to the hospital and eventually discharged back to Border Patrol custody.
The U.S. Customs and Border Patrol said so far this year the Tucson Sector has seen a 12% increase in unaccompanied minors being smuggled across the border compared to 2021 and a 234% increase since 2020.
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