Migrant boy, 9, who broke down in tears after revealing he crossed border with sisters, ages 3 and 6, before being abandoned by smugglers reunites with mother in New York City
- Brave boy Alan was responsible for caring for his younger siblings during their journey to the US-Mexico border
- Before the children were handed over to the smugglers, Alan said his mother, Adelfa, asked him to “take care of yourself and take care of your sisters.”
- They slept on the floor at night, huddled together with one blanket
Three Mexican migrant children abandoned by migrant smugglers at the southern border were reunited with their mother in New York City on Wednesday, the government of the east-central state of Puebla confirmed Thursday.
The reunion came days after nine-year-old Alan burst into tears during a viral interview with Oscar Gómez News as he described details of their trip to the Arizona border.
The courageous boy was responsible for caring for his younger siblings, six-year-old Ashley and three-year-old Yanis, during their journey to the U.S.-Mexico border.
When asked about the whereabouts of his parents, Alan told the interviewer, “They are in the United States.”
Nine-year-old Alan revealed in a video posted earlier this week how he cared for his two younger sisters, aged three and six, as they were escorted by migrant smugglers before being abandoned at the southwestern border in Arizona. The children were reunited with their mother on Wednesday at a migrant shelter for children in New York City
Alan said he slept on the floor with his sisters Yanis, 3, and Ashley, 6, sharing a blanket as they rested before reaching the southwestern border of the United States in Arizona.
Before the children were handed over to the smugglers, Alan said his mother, Adelfa, asked him to “take care of yourself and take care of your sisters.”
Although he acknowledged that he was not old enough to be in charge of his siblings, he did so throughout the journey, which he said was “more or less” difficult.
They slept on the floor at night, huddled together with one blanket.
Alan indicated that he and his sisters simply ate “what the boys gave us” and that he could do “nothing” when his siblings asked for food.
When asked if he wanted to pass on a message to his mother in case she saw the video, Alan choked up and replied, “Nothing,” before confirming that he missed her and wanted to see her.
Alan recalled that he and his sisters barely ate what the boys prepared for them during the crossing from Mexico to Arizona, where they arrived last weekend. The children, all Mexican citizens, were reunited with their mother on Wednesday with the help of a social worker from the United States and the Mexican government.
“I miss her, I love her,” Ashley said when asked if she had a relationship with her mother. ‘She is my heart. She never broke it.”
When asked if her mother had broken her heart, the girl tried to hold back tears and said she had hurt her because “she left.” My brothers didn’t see her when she left. but I did it, I cried. I felt tears.’
The state government of Puebla said a social worker from the United States, with the help of the Poblano Institute of Migrant Assistance, arranged Wednesday’s heartwarming reunion at a New York City migrant shelter for unaccompanied children.
Efforts are underway to have the mother gain full custody of her son and two daughters while they remain under the care of the Cayuga Centers – which provide care to unaccompanied children for up to 30 days before releasing them to a family member or their parents. .
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), border agents have recorded 46,289 encounters with unaccompanied children since October 1, 2023, the start of fiscal year 2024.
CBP recorded 137,275 encounters with unaccompanied minors in fiscal year 2023 and 152,057 during the previous fiscal calendar. By comparison, 146,924 encounters were reported in fiscal year 2021.