Deportation for Deception: Illegal Immigrants Who Used Children to Claim Asylum Will Face Human Trafficking Charges

A recent case out of Cleveland, Ohio, has set a critical precedent for addressing a disturbing trend: illegal immigrants using children who are not their own to claim asylum in the United States. On April 18, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) indicted Juan Tiul Xi, a 26-year-old Guatemalan national, for his alleged role in smuggling a 14-year-old girl into the country and falsifying documents to gain custody of her by claiming she was his sister. This case, a stark example of exploitation under the guise of family unity, underscores the urgent need to deport such individuals and charge them with human trafficking. The Tiul Xi indictment should serve as a blueprint for future prosecutions, sending a clear message that the U.S. will not tolerate the manipulation of vulnerable children for immigration fraud.

The details of the Tiul Xi case are chilling. According to the DOJ, Tiul Xi illegally entered the U.S. in 2023 during the Biden administration and subsequently encouraged a 14-year-old Guatemalan girl to cross the border unlawfully, instructing her to use his sister’s identity as an alias. He then submitted a sponsorship application with false statements to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), claiming to be the girl’s brother. On September 5, 2023, ORR, relying on these falsehoods, released the teenager into his custody. Tiul Xi now faces charges of encouraging illegal entry for financial gain, making false statements, and aggravated identity theft—charges that could land him up to 17 years in prison if convicted. Attorney General Pamela Bondi condemned the environment that enabled such acts, stating, “The prior administration’s border policies created an environment that enabled human trafficking and allowed bad actors to take advantage of at-risk children” [Web ID: 0] [Web ID: 1] [Web ID: 5].

This incident is not an isolated one but part of a broader pattern where illegal immigrants exploit loopholes in the U.S. asylum system, particularly the more lenient treatment of family units. By presenting themselves as a family with children—often unrelated minors—they gain a better chance of being released into the U.S. while their claims are processed, a practice that has been abused to the detriment of both the children involved and the integrity of the immigration system. The Tiul Xi case highlights the human cost of such deception: a 14-year-old girl, already vulnerable as an unaccompanied minor, was placed in the custody of a man with a prior conviction for sexual battery, putting her at significant risk [Web ID: 3]. This is nothing short of human trafficking, defined by the DOJ as the exploitation of individuals through force, fraud, or coercion for profit or personal gain. Tiul Xi’s actions meet this definition—he allegedly induced the girl’s illegal entry for financial gain and used fraud to secure her custody, exploiting her for his own immigration benefit.

The solution to this growing problem is clear: all illegal immigrants who engage in such practices must face deportation and human trafficking charges. The Tiul Xi indictment sets a powerful precedent for future prosecutions. By charging him with human trafficking-related offenses, the DOJ has signaled that the U.S. will treat these cases not merely as immigration violations but as serious criminal acts that endanger children. Deportation alone is not enough; these individuals must face the full weight of the law to deter others from following suit. The potential penalties in Tiul Xi’s case—up to 10 years for the illegal entry charge, five years for false statements, and a mandatory two years for identity theft—demonstrate the seriousness with which the justice system should approach these crimes [Web ID: 3] [Web ID: 4].

Critics might argue that deportation and trafficking charges are too harsh, especially for migrants fleeing desperate circumstances. They may claim that these individuals are simply seeking a better life and that the children involved are often willing participants in the journey. However, this perspective overlooks the inherent coercion and exploitation at play.

Children, like the 14-year-old in Tiul Xi’s case, cannot meaningfully consent to being used as pawns in an immigration scheme. They are often manipulated by adults who profit from their vulnerability, whether through direct financial gain or the indirect benefit of avoiding detention. Moreover, the risks these children face—abuse, neglect, or worse—are well-documented. The DOJ’s Joint Task Force Alpha, which led the Tiul Xi investigation, has a mandate to target transnational criminal organizations involved in human smuggling and trafficking, underscoring the scale of this issue [Web ID: 5]. Leniency in these cases only emboldens traffickers and smugglers, perpetuating a cycle of exploitation.

The broader context of immigration enforcement under the Trump administration further supports this hardline approach. With ICE partnering with a record number of local agencies to assist in mass deportation efforts, the focus has shifted toward removing criminal elements from the migrant population [Web ID: 2]. Cases like Tiul Xi’s align with this priority, as they involve not just illegal entry but active harm to others. The public outcry over related incidents—such as the arrest of Guatemalan smuggler Eduardo Domingo Renoj-Matul, who allegedly trafficked 20,000 immigrants and was linked to the deaths of seven, including a 4-year-old girl—shows growing support for cracking down on those who exploit the immigration system [Web ID: 13] [Web ID: 19]. Deporting individuals who use children to game the system, coupled with trafficking charges, ensures that the U.S. does not become a safe haven for such predators.

The Tiul Xi case should be the first of many. Prosecutors must build on this precedent, systematically targeting illegal immigrants who use unrelated children to claim asylum as a family unit. Each conviction will strengthen the message that the U.S. will not tolerate the trafficking of children for immigration fraud. Deportation, paired with criminal charges, will serve as both a punishment and a deterrent, protecting vulnerable minors and restoring integrity to the asylum process. As Attorney General Bondi stated, “We are committed to protecting children from the scourge of human trafficking and will not rest until we deliver justice for those who suffered during the border crisis” [Web ID: 1]. The path forward is clear: follow the Tiul Xi precedent, and let justice prevail.

17GEN4.com