Two U.S. Citizens Arrested for Allegedly Smuggling Unaccompanied Children Near Westmorland

U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the El Centro Sector arrested two United States citizens attempting to smuggle two unaccompanied children illegally into the U.S.- US Customs and Border Protection

Westmorland, Calif. — April 10, 2025 — U.S. Border Patrol agents from the El Centro Sector arrested two U.S. citizens on Tuesday after they allegedly attempted to smuggle two unaccompanied minors into the United States.

According to a press release the incident occurred at the Highway 86 immigration checkpoint near Westmorland, where agents encountered a silver SUV carrying two adult women and two sleeping girls in the backseat. The driver initially stated they were traveling from Arizona to California but later admitted they had entered the U.S. from Mexico through the San Luis Port of Entry.

Agents became suspicious after noticing inconsistencies in the driver’s account. During a secondary inspection, they reviewed identification cards for the children and found the photos and names did not match. Authorities also confirmed the children were not related to either adult in the vehicle. According to agents, the driver did not know the children’s mother.

Further investigation revealed that the two girls, ages 10 and 12, were unaccompanied minors from Mexico.

“This is how the trafficking of children starts,” said Chief Patrol Agent Gregory K. Bovino of the El Centro Sector in a statement. “It’s almost unbearable to think about what heinous crimes await children who aren’t with their parents.”

Both the driver and the passenger are facing charges under Title 8 U.S. Code § 1324, which addresses alien smuggling. The vehicle used in the attempted smuggling was seized as evidence.

Additional updates and information from U.S. Customs and Border Protection are available at cbp.gov. The El Centro Sector can also be followed on social media for updates.