LAREDO, Texas – Border Patrol agents are noticing a disturbing trend; human smugglers are forcing migrants to cover themselves with hazardous materials to avoid detection.
Migrants are being covered from head to toe in High Calcium Hydrated Lime, and inhaling Fabuloso, an all-purpose cleaner, while entrusting their lives to smugglers.
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), “Calcium Hydroxide is used in industrial settings, such as sewage treatment, paper production, construction, and food processing, therefore, it produces a potential health risk for individuals. Calcium hydroxide is a hazardous substance and can severely irritate the skin and eyes; or cause permanent eye damage. The ingestion of High Calcium Hydrated Lime can lead to potential poisoning and death. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes Fabuloso as a strong chemical that is associated with health problems such as nose, throat, and lung irritation, sneezing, wheezing, dermatitis, difficulty breathing, and even asthma.
Opened bags of High Calcium Hydrated Lime powder, spilt Fabuloso liquid containers, and foam sealants are merely a few examples that smugglers use in an attempt to mask the scent of people from being detected by Border Patrol agents.
CBP says the use of these chemicals is “another indicative of how smugglers view undocumented individuals, as a mere commodity.”