This week, Leah covered how President-elect Donald Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, issued a warning to migrant caravans making the journey to the U.S.-Mexico border ahead of inauguration day.
“Stay in your homeland,” Homan said on NewsNation. “Be safe. Crossing into this country illegally is very dangerous.”
In the interview, Homan reiterated that the Trump administration will end President Joe Biden’s lax border policies on day one.
“They need to hear, they need to understand, ‘Do not sell everything you own to give it to the criminal cartels to be smuggled into the United States because you’re not going to stay,’” he added.
Now, the U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector has issued a stark warning to migrants planning to come to the border before Inauguration Day.
“Winter months bring freezing temperatures. Migrants attempting to cross the border illegally face life-threatening conditions, including exposure to extreme cold, which can result in hypothermia, frostbite, or even death. The border region encompasses unforgiving terrain including deserts, mountains and remote wilderness areas that become especially hazardous during the winter,” a press release from the El Paso Sector said.
“Crossing the border illegally is never safe, but the risks are even greater during the winter months,” said El Paso Sector Chief Patrol Agent Anthony Scott Good. “We want to prevent unnecessary tragedies and remind people that these routes are controlled by transnational criminal organizations that exploit vulnerable individuals.”
Additionally, criminal organizations prey on migrants traveling during the winter months.
"The difficult and dangerous conditions that occur at this time of year are exactly what criminal organizations use to exploit migrants who are desperately seeking safety and shelter. This often leads to migrants finding themselves in an even more dangerous situation; victims trapped in a human trafficking ring who have now lost their freedom." said Bernalillo County, New Mexico District Attorney Sam Bregman.
“Human smugglers prey on individuals who find themselves in precarious and desperate situations,” said Homeland Security Investigations El Paso Special Agent in Charge Jason T. Stevens. “Unfortunately, migrants who place their faith in these deceitful individuals often face dire consequences, which can lead to severe injuries or even tragic loss of life."
