10-Year-Old Migrant Found Abandoned at Texas Border on Thanksgiving

The Salvadoran child was left by smugglers with only a phone, highlighting growing concerns over unaccompanied minors and human trafficking at the U.S.-Mexico border.

A 10-year-old boy from El Salvador was found crying and lost in Maverick County, Texas, after being abandoned by a human smuggler on Thanksgiving Day.
The boy, carrying only a cell phone, told authorities his parents were already in the U.S. and he was trying to reunite with them through smugglers, or 'coyotes.'
Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) reported finding the child during Operation Lone Star, which has rescued over 900 children from abandonment and smuggling since its inception.
Authorities recently discovered another case involving a two-year-old Salvadoran girl traveling alone with a note containing contact information, highlighting the risks faced by unaccompanied minors.
Federal data reveals over 320,000 unaccompanied migrant children have gone missing, raising concerns about inadequate oversight and potential exploitation by traffickers.