By USA Daily Now 
A Guatemalan national residing in the U.S. illegally has been indicted for his alleged involvement in smuggling a 14-year-old girl into the country. JUAN TIUL XI, 26, was charged on Thursday for allegedly coercing the minor into illegally entering the U.S., according to a statement from the Department of Justice (DOJ). Tiul Xi is also accused of submitting a fraudulent sponsorship application to gain custody of the teenager.
The indictment highlights the ongoing challenges of human trafficking and the exploitation of vulnerable children. Former Florida Attorney General PAM BONDI emphasized the impact of previous border policies, 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. 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.”
Tiul Xi allegedly entered the U.S. illegally in 2023 under the Biden administration. The DOJ claims that after his illegal entry, he encouraged the teenager to falsely claim she was his sister. The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) reportedly relied on Tiul Xi’s false statements to release the minor into his custody on September 5, 2023.
The DOJ has charged Tiul Xi with one count of encouraging or inducing illegal entry for financial gain, one count of making a false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement, and one count of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison for encouraging illegal entry, up to 5 years for the false statement, and 2 years for the identity theft charge.
TODD LYONS, Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), stated, “This case is a testament to ICE’s commitment to hold predators accountable for the harm they inflict on children.”
ANGIE M. SALAZAR, Acting Director of ORR, highlighted the office’s enhanced sponsor vetting process, which now prioritizes the well-being of children. “We hope that our commitment is evident by our collaboration with law enforcement to right previous wrongs and help bring these crimes to light,” Salazar said in a DOJ press release.
This case is part of the DOJ’s Operation Take Back America, an initiative aimed at addressing the ongoing threats and risks that the American people elected President Trump to combat.
**Sources:**
[Department of Justice](https://www.justice.gov)
[U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement](https://www.ice.gov)
[Office of Refugee Resettlement](https://www.acf.hhs.gov/orr)