The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) responded to accusations by the Venezuelan government, refuting claims that the Trump administration separated children from parents who are associated with the violent Tren de Aragua gang (TdA).
A DHS spokesperson released a statement emphasizing that despite Venezuela’s accusations of child abduction by the U.S., the reality is that DHS intervened due to both parents being affiliated with Tren De Aragua.
The child’s father, Maiker Espinoza-Escalona, holds a high rank within Tren De Aragua and is responsible for overseeing activities such as homicides, drug trafficking, kidnappings, extortion, sex trafficking, and running a torture facility, as reported by the agency.
DHS added that, in addition to the father, the child’s mother, Yorely Escarleth Bernal Inciarte, oversees the recruitment of young women for drug smuggling and prostitution.
Honduran migrants arrive on a deportation flight at the Ramon Villeda Morales International Airport after President Donald Trump’s national emergency declaration on immigration in San Pedro Sula, Honduras Jan. 31. (Reuters/Yoseph Amaya)
DHS said the “previous administration allowed many children who came across the border unaccompanied to be placed with sponsors who were actually smugglers and sex traffickers.”
“In less than 100 days, Secretary Noem and Secretary Kennedy have already reunited over 5,000 unaccompanied children with a relative or safe guardian,” DHS said.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin joined Fox News Channel’s “The Big Weekend Show” last week and shared her reaction to the far-left media trying to criticize the Trump administration for deporting a 2-year-old citizen, even though DHS says the mother wanted to take the toddler with her when she was deported to Honduras.
Venezuelan migrants deported from the United States arrive at Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía, Venezuela, Feb. 20. (AP Photo/Cristian Hernandez)
“The mother had the option that if she wanted to take both children back with her to Honduras,” McLaughlin explained.
“This is very common practice, but I do think it also shows that this administration, we really care about the safety of these children. And we’ve put together further safeguards, such as biometrics testing and DNA, to ensure that the children are actually children or relatives of these guardians and parents, because we’ve seen way too much of drug mules, human traffickers, sex traffickers exploiting these migrant children for their own disgusting gain.”
Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com
