Why would anyone be surprised? Use of legal children for criminal activity is ancient practice. Be surprised that someone like Crockett or AOC isn't already complaining about ICE and Texas law enforcement prosecuting kids -- it will happen soon enough.
Hire? Maybe some, like the ones you featured. But “Fagan” was an old concept when Dickens wrote about Oliver Twist, probably modeled on common figures in Victorian London or Edinburgh. Africa is not the only place where there are, or have been “child” soldiers carrying AK47s and committing atrocities. In the U.S. a lot of the child labor laws of a century ago were passed, at least ostensibly, to end this sort of exploitation. Organized crime thrives on teenaged “soldiers,” universally. Kids work cheap or for free, sometimes only for the status or praise, and are easily coerced or convinced to do almost anything for a suitably corrupt strawboss.
I read an article about 1-year ago -- during the Biden Administration (in a mainstream, left of center publication (it could have been Politco)) that went something like this:
The Mexican cartels use under-18-year-old Mexicans as the human and/or drug smugglers... because if they're caught by US Boarder Patrol on US soil,... the US Boarder Patrol releases them back over to the Mexican side -- because they're under 18 -- something about our US laws -- regarding foreign national minors committing crimes...
Whereas an adult (18+) foreign national doing such smuggling would be held and charged.
This was the "policy" (?) during the Biden Administration.
How is the Trump Administration handling this situation? Is what I'm describing "federal statutory law" or "Executive branch policy"?
These Mexican teen smugglers have been difficult to prosecute in federal courts for some time, because (unlike state courts) there are no "juvenile courts" within the federal system, a problem that persists through the current Trump Administration.
Texas is trying to address this by pairing State Troopers with Border Patrol Agents where these teen smugglers are most active. If the Border Patrol encounters a "Cartel Kid" while a state officer is present, they will hand the child over to a State Trooper who can then arrest them for a state crime. The DPS says a Texas prosecutor could potentially pursue charges up to and including "Felony Human Smuggling" against these kids.
The child's case then makes its way through Texas's Juvenile Justice System, so, whether ultimately convicted or not, the teen smuggler is guaranteed to do some jail time awaiting trial before eventually being released to ICE for deportation.
This is a new development, and I am awaiting word on how many teen smugglers Texas is able to arrest and charge through these joint Federal/State patrols for future coverage by US Border News.
Jack, I am so glad that they are being stopped by border patrol. I'm surprised at the youth are involved. Child abuse for sure. Thank you for sharing this information.
Why would anyone be surprised? Use of legal children for criminal activity is ancient practice. Be surprised that someone like Crockett or AOC isn't already complaining about ICE and Texas law enforcement prosecuting kids -- it will happen soon enough.
I agree that it’s unfortunate but predictable that the cartels would hire Mexican & U.S. teens. Just another reason that they need to be brought down.
Hire? Maybe some, like the ones you featured. But “Fagan” was an old concept when Dickens wrote about Oliver Twist, probably modeled on common figures in Victorian London or Edinburgh. Africa is not the only place where there are, or have been “child” soldiers carrying AK47s and committing atrocities. In the U.S. a lot of the child labor laws of a century ago were passed, at least ostensibly, to end this sort of exploitation. Organized crime thrives on teenaged “soldiers,” universally. Kids work cheap or for free, sometimes only for the status or praise, and are easily coerced or convinced to do almost anything for a suitably corrupt strawboss.
I read an article about 1-year ago -- during the Biden Administration (in a mainstream, left of center publication (it could have been Politco)) that went something like this:
The Mexican cartels use under-18-year-old Mexicans as the human and/or drug smugglers... because if they're caught by US Boarder Patrol on US soil,... the US Boarder Patrol releases them back over to the Mexican side -- because they're under 18 -- something about our US laws -- regarding foreign national minors committing crimes...
Whereas an adult (18+) foreign national doing such smuggling would be held and charged.
This was the "policy" (?) during the Biden Administration.
How is the Trump Administration handling this situation? Is what I'm describing "federal statutory law" or "Executive branch policy"?
These Mexican teen smugglers have been difficult to prosecute in federal courts for some time, because (unlike state courts) there are no "juvenile courts" within the federal system, a problem that persists through the current Trump Administration.
Texas is trying to address this by pairing State Troopers with Border Patrol Agents where these teen smugglers are most active. If the Border Patrol encounters a "Cartel Kid" while a state officer is present, they will hand the child over to a State Trooper who can then arrest them for a state crime. The DPS says a Texas prosecutor could potentially pursue charges up to and including "Felony Human Smuggling" against these kids.
The child's case then makes its way through Texas's Juvenile Justice System, so, whether ultimately convicted or not, the teen smuggler is guaranteed to do some jail time awaiting trial before eventually being released to ICE for deportation.
This is a new development, and I am awaiting word on how many teen smugglers Texas is able to arrest and charge through these joint Federal/State patrols for future coverage by US Border News.
Excellent...get em early before they get old enough to kill someone in a chase by driving into a family head on with a van full of illegals.
"It's the lure of easy money, it's got a very strong appeal." -Glenn Fry, "Smuggler's Blues"
I remember when that video was new lol👴
Jack, I am so glad that they are being stopped by border patrol. I'm surprised at the youth are involved. Child abuse for sure. Thank you for sharing this information.
Thank you for your comments, and thank you for reading US Border News!