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  4. Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol rescues unaccompanied child who only speaks dialect

Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol rescues unaccompanied child who only speaks dialect

Release Date
Tue, 07/24/2018

WESLACO, Texas – Yesterday, U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Weslaco station encountered an unaccompanied child that is unable to communicate with agents because he only speaks dialect.

Agent encounters child who only speak regional dialect
Agent encounters child who only
speak regional dialect

Agents discovered the eight-year-old boy after he was smuggled across the Rio Grande and abandoned by a river road alone. The child was unable to provide basic biographical information to agents as they questioned him during initial contact. Agents were only able to obtain his name and age.

Upon arriving to the Rio Grande Valley Centralized Processing Center, agents attempted to gather additional information from the child but were unsuccessful due to the language barrier. The Border Patrol is currently working with consulate offices to determine the child’s nationality and dialect origin to process him accordingly.  

The Rio Grande Valley Sector currently has multiple campaigns focused on rescues and danger awareness, such as “Operation Big Rig” and “No Se Arriesgue” to combat smuggling and ultimately save lives. Call 911 to report suspicious activity; “They’re humans, not cargo!” 

Please visit www.cbp.gov to view additional news releases and other information pertaining to Customs and Border Protection. Follow us on Twitter at @CBPRGV.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021