Submitted by: By Dr. Jarrod Sadulski, Human Trafficking Researcher
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What is going on at the border is worse than what is commonly known. This is because the stories of the migrants themselves and the atrocities that they are experiencing are not being fully told.
As a Doctor of Criminology, former law enforcement officer, and researcher I have been studying human trafficking for the past five years. During that time, I spent a considerable amount of time in Central America and South America working with INTERPOL and different governments where I provide training to combat human trafficking.
In the week of February 19th, 2024, I spent an entire week conducting human smuggling and trafficking research on the border and what I found was horrifying. I went to places in McAllen, Texas, Progreso, Mexico, Eagle Pass, Texas, Roma, Texas, and Piedras Negras, Mexico (with security protocols in place).
To get the full picture, I went to both the U.S. and Mexican sides of the border to learn what is going on in terms of human trafficking and smuggling. Also, I was given permission to interview trafficking victims in a shelter facility that is blocked off from the media. What I found was horrifying and is far worse than what I've seen reported on the news. It was an unassuming building.
Inside, I saw hundreds of migrants that have already been cleared by Border Patrol. They had been robbed (and worse), they were frightened, but willing to speak about their ordeal.
They likely had a future court date, which I was told can be 4-7 years in the future. In the shelter they are awaiting arrangements to their final destination in the U.S.
Speaking With Migrants That Experienced Unspeakable Crimes by the Cartels
I spoke with someone named Alan. Alan and his family were from Peru and were smuggled into the United States by two cartels. He was robbed at gunpoint by a cartel first in the Darien Gap. The Darien Gap is a stretch of jungle between Colombia and Panama. It is infiltrated by cartels, human traffickers, and others that prey on migrants.
This landmass is the only way to reach Central America by land. He explained that he was smuggled through Mexico and witnessed extreme violence on his way to Reynosa, Mexico. He and his family were sold to another cartel there. I asked for pictures of his journey to the border but his phone was stolen during the voyage.
I spoke with a Venezuelan national. He also came through the violent Darien Gap. While in the Darien Gap, he observed two people raped and murdered because they did not have bribe money. Bribe money is the difference in life or death when coming to the Southwest Border. It can be expected that migrants will be robbed of everything they have early on. They depend on family members using Western Union and other money transfer systems to pay off bribes.
Those That Have Access to Money Survive
Those who do not have families that can send them money are commonly killed. In some cases, children from families will be kidnapped by the cartel as payments. Children may be sold for different purposes. Sadly, there is a market for juvenile organs outside of the U.S. This is consistent with what a former sex trafficker told me previously in Central America.
The former cartel affiliate discussed a trafficker named Turco that was known for harvesting child organs. Turco's last known case involved a 12-year-old that had his left eye harvested for $15,000 in Mexico. It is believed that Turco is currently operating in the Darien Gap.
In the shelter, I spoke with someone who was a Mexican police officer. He explained that a cartel approached him and advised him to come work for them. He fled to the United States out of fear. I learned that when someone comes to the U.S. illegally who is a Mexican national they are typically returned to Mexico the same day.
Migrants from nearly everywhere else are processed by Border Patrol and are turned over to ICE. If ICE doesn't have detention space, then they are released. I learned that for someone who is a Mexican police officer or military member, exceptions for asylum may be considered. This is likely to the duress that they are placed in by the cartels due to their position as a police officer.
The saddest story I heard about was a mother who was at the shelter along the border on the U.S. side. She refused to let her child out of her arms. This was despite being in a safe location among other migrants and children. She explained to staff that it was because this child was all that she had left.
The mother explained to staff that she was robbed of everything she started her voyage with, which included her two other children. The problem was that she could not afford bribes. Therefore, her two children were stolen from her. She will never see her children again.
Honor Among Criminals – Doesn’t Exist
There used to be a rule among the cartels that no one was permitted to smuggle anyone suspected of having terrorism ties to the United States in fear that another 9/11. The cartels were concerned that if they smuggled someone who committed terrorism in the U.S. that it may lead back to the cartel and interrupt their operations.
Instead, the cartels would pull them into their ranks in Mexico. This is where the cartels learned some of the cruel acts they carry out on their rivals. However, due to the recent influx of people getting involved in smuggling people to the border, that rule or code is no longer being followed as so many new people have gotten involved in smuggling and trafficking.
Currently anyone willing to pay now can be smuggled to the U.S. regardless of their intentions. This information came from someone who was a former human trafficker.
The Situation on the Mexican Side of the Border
While looking across the Rio Grande River, I could see staging areas that migrants who were being smuggled into the U.S. had used. In Progreso, Mexico I saw hundreds of migrants in a camp. I spoke with a group coming from Russia. Many of the people in this camp will wait a month or more for their immigration appointment in the U.S.
When I was in Roma, Texas, I could see the violent Mexican border town of Miguel Aleman. I saw people on the Mexican side along the river that may have been waiting for nightfall to cross. I saw very little barriers in this area. In the Rio Grande, I observed tire marks, which raised questions.
Solutions
I did gain some insight into how the border can be secured and what can be done to mitigate the migrant crisis. While the border wall is necessary in certain areas, it is not the only answer. The topography is different along the entire border. Some areas have natural land borders where a wall is unnecessary.
I learned that the appropriate infrastructure to create a barrier depends on the specific border area. Other steps needed to secure the border include investment in technology, and additional Border Patrol agents. Camera systems are important along the border because they act as a force multiplier. Some areas such as the desert need a linear camera system while other areas such as McAllen need look-down cameras instead.
Immigration laws need to be upheld instead of issuing court dates that are years in advance through catch and release. True deterrence through enforced immigration policy is necessary.
Legal immigration is important. Agriculture labor depends on it and people who genuinely are coming to the U.S. for opportunity and safety should have the opportunity to come through legal pathways. However, illegal immigration must not be condoned
According to Customs and Border Protection, 2,475,669 Southwest Border encounters occurred in 2023; and 7,550,836 have occurred since the start of 2021.
This only accounts for migrant encounters and does not reflect the got aways. This also does not reflect illegal migration through the Northern Border and South Florida. The crisis at the border should not be a political issue. It is a humanitarian crisis that children are being sold into sex trafficking and many people are being sexually assaulted and murdered on their journey to the border.
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About the Author
Dr. Jarrod Sadulski has over two decades in the field of criminal justice. Jarrod is currently traveling across the U.S. providing training seminars on human trafficking awareness and the dangers of sextortion. His expertise includes training on countering human trafficking, maritime security, and narcotics trafficking trends. Jarrod frequently conducts in-country research and consultant work in Central and South America on human trafficking and current trends in narcotics trafficking. Jarrod can be reached through LinkedIn or his website at www.Sadulski.com for more information.
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What is going on at the border is worse than what is commonly known. This is because the stories of the migrants themselves and the atrocities that they are experiencing are not being fully told.
As a Doctor of Criminology, former law enforcement officer, and researcher I have been studying human trafficking for the past five years. During that time, I spent a considerable amount of time in Central America and South America working with INTERPOL and different governments where I provide training to combat human trafficking.
In the week of February 19th, 2024, I spent an entire week conducting human smuggling and trafficking research on the border and what I found was horrifying. I went to places in McAllen, Texas, Progreso, Mexico, Eagle Pass, Texas, Roma, Texas, and Piedras Negras, Mexico (with security protocols in place).
To get the full picture, I went to both the U.S. and Mexican sides of the border to learn what is going on in terms of human trafficking and smuggling. Also, I was given permission to interview trafficking victims in a shelter facility that is blocked off from the media. What I found was horrifying and is far worse than what I've seen reported on the news. It was an unassuming building.
Inside, I saw hundreds of migrants that have already been cleared by Border Patrol. They had been robbed (and worse), they were frightened, but willing to speak about their ordeal.
They likely had a future court date, which I was told can be 4-7 years in the future. In the shelter they are awaiting arrangements to their final destination in the U.S.
Speaking With Migrants That Experienced Unspeakable Crimes by the Cartels
I spoke with someone named Alan. Alan and his family were from Peru and were smuggled into the United States by two cartels. He was robbed at gunpoint by a cartel first in the Darien Gap. The Darien Gap is a stretch of jungle between Colombia and Panama. It is infiltrated by cartels, human traffickers, and others that prey on migrants.
This landmass is the only way to reach Central America by land. He explained that he was smuggled through Mexico and witnessed extreme violence on his way to Reynosa, Mexico. He and his family were sold to another cartel there. I asked for pictures of his journey to the border but his phone was stolen during the voyage.
I spoke with a Venezuelan national. He also came through the violent Darien Gap. While in the Darien Gap, he observed two people raped and murdered because they did not have bribe money. Bribe money is the difference in life or death when coming to the Southwest Border. It can be expected that migrants will be robbed of everything they have early on. They depend on family members using Western Union and other money transfer systems to pay off bribes.
Those That Have Access to Money Survive
Those who do not have families that can send them money are commonly killed. In some cases, children from families will be kidnapped by the cartel as payments. Children may be sold for different purposes. Sadly, there is a market for juvenile organs outside of the U.S. This is consistent with what a former sex trafficker told me previously in Central America.
The former cartel affiliate discussed a trafficker named Turco that was known for harvesting child organs. Turco's last known case involved a 12-year-old that had his left eye harvested for $15,000 in Mexico. It is believed that Turco is currently operating in the Darien Gap.
In the shelter, I spoke with someone who was a Mexican police officer. He explained that a cartel approached him and advised him to come work for them. He fled to the United States out of fear. I learned that when someone comes to the U.S. illegally who is a Mexican national they are typically returned to Mexico the same day.
Migrants from nearly everywhere else are processed by Border Patrol and are turned over to ICE. If ICE doesn't have detention space, then they are released. I learned that for someone who is a Mexican police officer or military member, exceptions for asylum may be considered. This is likely to the duress that they are placed in by the cartels due to their position as a police officer.
The saddest story I heard about was a mother who was at the shelter along the border on the U.S. side. She refused to let her child out of her arms. This was despite being in a safe location among other migrants and children. She explained to staff that it was because this child was all that she had left.
The mother explained to staff that she was robbed of everything she started her voyage with, which included her two other children. The problem was that she could not afford bribes. Therefore, her two children were stolen from her. She will never see her children again.
Honor Among Criminals – Doesn’t Exist
There used to be a rule among the cartels that no one was permitted to smuggle anyone suspected of having terrorism ties to the United States in fear that another 9/11. The cartels were concerned that if they smuggled someone who committed terrorism in the U.S. that it may lead back to the cartel and interrupt their operations.
Instead, the cartels would pull them into their ranks in Mexico. This is where the cartels learned some of the cruel acts they carry out on their rivals. However, due to the recent influx of people getting involved in smuggling people to the border, that rule or code is no longer being followed as so many new people have gotten involved in smuggling and trafficking.
Currently anyone willing to pay now can be smuggled to the U.S. regardless of their intentions. This information came from someone who was a former human trafficker.
The Situation on the Mexican Side of the Border
While looking across the Rio Grande River, I could see staging areas that migrants who were being smuggled into the U.S. had used. In Progreso, Mexico I saw hundreds of migrants in a camp. I spoke with a group coming from Russia. Many of the people in this camp will wait a month or more for their immigration appointment in the U.S.
When I was in Roma, Texas, I could see the violent Mexican border town of Miguel Aleman. I saw people on the Mexican side along the river that may have been waiting for nightfall to cross. I saw very little barriers in this area. In the Rio Grande, I observed tire marks, which raised questions.
Solutions
I did gain some insight into how the border can be secured and what can be done to mitigate the migrant crisis. While the border wall is necessary in certain areas, it is not the only answer. The topography is different along the entire border. Some areas have natural land borders where a wall is unnecessary.
I learned that the appropriate infrastructure to create a barrier depends on the specific border area. Other steps needed to secure the border include investment in technology, and additional Border Patrol agents. Camera systems are important along the border because they act as a force multiplier. Some areas such as the desert need a linear camera system while other areas such as McAllen need look-down cameras instead.
Immigration laws need to be upheld instead of issuing court dates that are years in advance through catch and release. True deterrence through enforced immigration policy is necessary.
Legal immigration is important. Agriculture labor depends on it and people who genuinely are coming to the U.S. for opportunity and safety should have the opportunity to come through legal pathways. However, illegal immigration must not be condoned
According to Customs and Border Protection, 2,475,669 Southwest Border encounters occurred in 2023; and 7,550,836 have occurred since the start of 2021.
This only accounts for migrant encounters and does not reflect the got aways. This also does not reflect illegal migration through the Northern Border and South Florida. The crisis at the border should not be a political issue. It is a humanitarian crisis that children are being sold into sex trafficking and many people are being sexually assaulted and murdered on their journey to the border.
--
About the Author
Dr. Jarrod Sadulski has over two decades in the field of criminal justice. Jarrod is currently traveling across the U.S. providing training seminars on human trafficking awareness and the dangers of sextortion. His expertise includes training on countering human trafficking, maritime security, and narcotics trafficking trends. Jarrod frequently conducts in-country research and consultant work in Central and South America on human trafficking and current trends in narcotics trafficking. Jarrod can be reached through LinkedIn or his website at www.Sadulski.com for more information.
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