U.S. border officials: Our work balances 'enforcement with empathy'
July 29 (UPI) -- In a time when many Americans disapprove of current U.S. immigration efforts, officials at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Tuesday pointed out that CBP does more than protect Americans from illegal activity at the nation's borders.
Since 2010, the New York office of U.S. Customs and Border Protection has partnered with the nonprofit Global Medical Relief Fund to provide assistance in a series of humanitarian acts and medical relief to children in over 64 nations.
"U.S. Customs and Border Protection is responsible for protecting the country," Frank Russo, field director of the CBP's New York office, noted in a statement.
But border agency officials spoke of a "commitment" to "balancing enforcement with empathy."
On Tuesday, the federal government revealed that last year in June three young adult victims of violent attacks in Tanzania linked to tribal and ritualistic beliefs "were able to receive urgent medical care and prosthetics in the United States" due to CBP and GMRF working hand-in-hand.
The three young African natives born albino were, according to officials, "targeted and mutilated due to superstitions that their body parts bring good luck."
They were lifted to the United States and stayed on Staten Island at GMRF's Dare to Dream House in New York for children getting medical treatment.
The Staten Island-based GMF sees support from a network of international embassies and medical entities such as Shriners Children's in Philadelphia.
Officials noted that whole the three albino survivors had since aged out of pediatric care, private medical company Med East had stepped-up to provide new prosthetics for the Tanzanian natives at no cost.
Russo reportedly visited the group. On Tuesday he called the CBP job "incredibly challenging."
GMRF claims 500 children in 59 countries have been helped by their work with at 1 million "lives changed."
However, the "commitment" by U.S. Customs and Border Protection to balance empathy and enforcement arrived as other federal law enforcement agencies, particularly U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, has seen a barrage of criticism.
ICE has faced waves of public backlash and negative media attention, including recent attempts on the lives of ICE agents in the Trump administration's bid to curtail illegal immigration due to what many say has been unprofessional behavior and other questionable acts.
But Russo says efforts like CBP's work with Global Medical Relief Fund are "immensely rewarding and demonstrate the humanitarian side of what we do."
Meanwhile, the two entities on August 17 are set to welcome others via Dubai in the Middle East on a flight that will bring medical care and critical supplies in the area of prosthetic body parts.
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