Two US border officers in Southern California have been accused of taking money to help people enter the country without legal documents. Prosecutors say the officers allowed vehicles with undocumented migrants to pass through the border in exchange for bribes.
The officers, Farlis Almonte and Ricardo Rodriguez, work for US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). A criminal complaint filed in court says investigators found phone messages between the officers and smugglers in Mexico. They also found large cash deposits in their bank accounts that could not be explained.
The illegal crossings happened at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. This border crossing links San Diego in the United States with Tijuana in Mexico and is one of the busiest land borders in the world.
According to prosecutors, the officers let dozens of cars through without stopping them to check documents. Each time they allowed a car to pass, they were paid thousands of dollars.
Rodriguez’s lawyer, Michael Hawkins, said it is still early in the legal process and that his client should be seen as innocent until proven guilty. There is no word yet on who is representing Almonte.
The case began when three people who had been arrested for smuggling migrants told investigators they were working with US border officers. This led to a deeper investigation into Almonte and Rodriguez.
Authorities said they found nearly $70,000 in cash while Almonte was in custody. They believe the money was being moved to Tijuana by someone close to him. Because of this, Almonte could face more charges, including money laundering and trying to hide evidence.
Acting US Attorney Andrew Haden said any border agent who helps smugglers is breaking their promise to protect the country. He added that it puts national security at risk.
This is not the first time such a case has come up. Over the past two years, five other border officers in the San Diego area have also faced legal action for helping smugglers.