Guatemalan Undocumented Immigrant Created Fake Family Photo to Support Two Unaccompanied Teenagers

ICE Arrests Guatemalan for Falsifying Child Sponsorship

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has detained a man from Guatemala for allegedly submitting false statements to sponsor two unaccompanied children who had entered the U.S. unlawfully. Notably, the individual is accused of providing a “clearly photoshopped” image to suggest a familial connection with one of the boys.

ICE agents have filed criminal charges in New Jersey related to these false statements made in an attempt to gain custody of the minors, who crossed the border illegally in 2022.

Authorities state that the suspect, Tinuar Quino, used two counterfeit Guatemalan identification cards to claim parentage over two teenage boys. The first boy, 15 years old, reportedly crossed from Mexico into Texas in April 2022. Quino’s application contained a fictitious name and date of birth, as well as a digitally altered photo with the boy’s mother.

The application was approved, leading to the teenager’s transfer from Texas to New Jersey, where Quino was subsequently arrested.

In June 2022, Quino attempted to file another fraudulent application for a 17-year-old Guatemalan boy, but this time, the application was not approved.

Attorney General Pamela Bondy remarked that prior border policies had created a chaotic situation, enabling individuals to exploit vulnerable groups. She emphasized that the Justice Department would pursue serious legal consequences for anyone jeopardizing children’s welfare.

Quino, a 57-year-old Guatemalan national, is reported to have entered the U.S. in 2016 and later relocated to Orange, New Jersey.

Todd Lyons, acting director of ICE, warned that abusing the sponsorship system puts children at severe risk. He affirmed that ICE collaborates with law enforcement to combat trafficking and exploitation, striving to maintain the integrity of the immigration process while safeguarding at-risk youth.