Email, Wayne Cornelius, Theodore Gildred Distinguished Professor of Political Science and U.S.-Mexican Relations, Emeritus, University of California at San Diego, Aug. 1, 2014
12:17 p.m.
I have not seen nor heard of any evidence supporting thus claim, and I deal frequently with attorneys providing legal representation for unaccompanied child migrants. It sounds more like talk radio chatter.
Best wishes, Wayne
Sent from my iPhone
D
On Aug 1, 2014, at 7:47 AM, "Selby, Gardner (CMG-Austin)" <wgselby@statesman.com> wrote:
Dr. Cornelius:
... I write with urgency today because as a reporter for the Austin, Texas, newspaper, I am trying to fact-check a claim by US Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, that drug cartels are using social media to offer rebates so more children from Central America get smuggled to the United States.
Here is how we spotted this claim:
In an interview with ABC News and Yahoo News, posted online July 16, 2014, Rep. Henry Cuellar talked up a since-stalled proposal he and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, had made setting a 10-day period for federal immigration judges to determine if an unaccompanied child apprehended on the U.S. side of the border with Mexico should be allowed to linger in the country rather than being sent home.
Agreeing that poverty and violence in Central America have been factors in children deciding to hike north, Cuellar told reporter Jeff Zeleny: “The drug cartels found an incentive; and this is what we’re trying to cut off, these incentives. Finally a last thing: Did you know that they’re even using social media -- social media that says if you get recruited, we’ll give you a rebate if you bring another child with you.”
Zeleny: “So an advertisement of sorts?”
Cuellar: “Oh without a doubt, they have marketing; they’re very sophisticated organizations.”
So far, though, we’ve found no evidence of cartels using social media to offer rebates of this kind. Your thoughts/guidance for our story?
Thank you for taking a hard look.
g.
W. Gardner Selby
PolitiFact Texas
Austin American-Statesman