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Heartbreaking footage shows 1-yr-old Guatemalan boy being abandoned by 'coyote' at Colorado river border

A Border Patrol agent can be seen in video rushing to the child and providing him with aid

EL PASO, TEXAS: A one-year-old boy from Guatemala was abandoned at the US border by a ‘coyote’ smuggler last week. A video shared by US Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz on Twitter showed the unidentified suspect leaving the child along the Colorado River after crossing from Mexico.

He wrote, “A one-year-old Guatemalan child was abandoned along the Colorado River Monday afternoon [March 20] by a smuggler who took him across the border and then left him to fend for himself along the water’s edge. Thanks to our agent’s quick response, tragedy was averted!"

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The video posted on March 23, which has been retweeted 869 times and has over a thousand likes, showed the suspect running and going back to the water to swim back across the border into Mexico. After a few moments, the child can be seen getting up and walking around. Later, a Border Patrol agent arrives and can be seen rushing to the child, providing him aid, and putting the child in the back of his unit.

Below the video, Ortiz also posted the picture of a border agent holding the boy with the caption, “Picture of child safe with an Agent.”

'Are we ever going to talk about Biden's immigration policy?'

The post received several comments, with one writing, "That's heartbreaking. So thankful for the quick rescue and special care taken!" Another commented, "I'm a father of 2 young boys. Watching this has me in tears. Your agent deserves the highest of praises for his quick action. God bless you all."

"I'm horrified watching the video of someone leaving that little one right in harms way of this river. Thank you to all the agents who work day in and day out to assist with these innocent souls," one comment read. Someone else wrote, "Thank you for your constant hard work. Your agents are heros!" Another pointed out, "Are we ever going to talk about Biden's immigration policy that encourages behaviors like this from smugglers?"

Since October 1, 2022, Border Patrol agents have encountered 58,003 unaccompanied minors, while agents in the Yuma and El Centro sectors have encountered 2,980 unaccompanied minors combined this fiscal year, as per Border Report.

Migrant Protection Protocols program

"On June 01, 2021, following careful review of the program as directed by President Biden in Executive Order 14010, the Secretary of Homeland Security terminated the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) program," the Homeland Security website states. "Beginning June 23, 2021, DHS is expanding eligibility for US processing to also include MPP enrollees who had their cases terminated or who were ordered removed in absentia."

A total of 70,000 migrants were subject to the policy, known officially as MPP, according to AP. It was initiated in January 2019 by former President Donald Trump. The policy forces asylum-seekers to wait in Mexico as their cases make their way through US immigration courts. President Biden suspended it on his first day in office in January 2021, fulfilling a campaign promise. Many were allowed to return to the United States to pursue their cases during the early months of Biden's presidency. Now, as per reports, the figures released on July 29, 2022, show nearly 5,800 people have been subject to the policy from December 2021 to June 2022.

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