HIDALGO, Texas (AP) – A 41-year-old Pharr woman was charged for allegedly trying to smuggle an infant from Mexico into the United States, authorities said.
According to Customs and Border Protection, Maria Guadalupe Rodriguez was caught lying to officers at the Hidalgo/Pharr International Bridge on Sunday, telling them the 8-month-old boy was hers and was a U.S. citizen.
She was arrested on federal alien smuggling charges and is being held at the La Villa Detention Center pending an initial court appearance. The child has been taken into custody by Mexican officials.
It was at least the seventh arrest this month involving child smuggling across the Texas-Mexico border, officials said.