DHS says Trump administration not taking children away from parents

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is firing back after it says the Venezuelan government spread false information that the Trump administration was separating children from parents who are members of the violent Tren de Aragua gang (TdA).

A spokesperson for DHS shared a news release that said, despite the Venezuelan government claiming the U.S. “kidnapped” a child, “the truth is DHS took action because both her parents are part of Tren De Aragua.”

The child in question’s father, Maiker Espinoza-Escalona, is a lieutenant of Tren De Aragua who oversees homicides, drug sales, kidnappings, extortion, sex trafficking and operates a torture house, the agency said.

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. 

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“These criminal illegal aliens entered the country illegally and had final orders of removal from a judge,” DHS said. 

DHS said the child was taken off the deportation flight manifest for her safety and welfare through a partnership with the Department of Health and Human Services. The child remains in the care and custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement and was placed with a foster family, the agency said.

The agency added that “parents are asked if they want to be removed with their children or ICE will place the children with someone the parent designates.”

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“In this case, the parent stated they wanted to be removed with the children,” DHS said. 

“Due to the violent criminal activities of the parents, including operating a torture house, sex trafficking and kidnapping, the child was removed from their custody. We will not allow this child to be abused and continue to be exposed to criminal activity that endangers her safety.”  
— Senior DHS official

The department thanked Trump for removing the TdA gang member from the country. 

“President Trump and Secretary Noem take their responsibility to protect children seriously and will continue to work with federal law enforcement and the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure that children are safe from abuse, sexual exploitation and trafficking,” the statement added. 

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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. 

“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 [email protected]