Hundreds of U.S. border officers are under investigation for alleged misconduct including trafficking, bribery and sexual assault, Newsweek can reveal
Official figures seen by Newsweek show that 211 officers of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) face accusations ranging from serious crime such as drug smuggling, to non-criminal misconduct.
The documents show 17 alleged cases of domestic violence, 11 cases of sexual assault, and 10 cases of smuggling migrants across the border.
Another 11 agents are being investigated for physical abuse of a detainee, while 13 stand accused of association with criminal gangs.
The true picture of the alleged misconduct could be significantly worse, however, as Newsweek understands that the CBP is also probing allegations of crimes against children.
Those cases, which were not broken down in the data obtained under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), are categorized by the CBP as “other criminal” because they do not match the general criminal categories listed in the agency’s case management system.
All of the cases are being looked at by the CBP’s own Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) and concern serving officers.
The findings, pertaining to alleged wrongdoing in the 2023-2024 fiscal year, have prompted calls for an FBI investigation.
Democratic Rep. Raúl Grijalva told Newsweek: “The number of CBP agents under investigation for a large variety of transgressions is extremely concerning. If the reports are true that the investigations are being led by the CBP Office of Professional Responsibility, I worry the integrity of the investigations is at risk.
“CBP’s OPR is not an independent investigatory unit; it is made up of fellow CBP agents, many of whom have abused their positions of trust and been rehired or reassigned to OPR. It is well known for its history of coverups. I would urge Secretary Mayorkas and the Office of Inspector General at the Department of Homeland Security to have these agents investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations.”
A CBP spokesperson told Newsweek: “CBP does not tolerate misconduct within our ranks. When we discover any alleged or potential misconduct, we immediately refer it for investigation and cooperate fully with any criminal or administrative investigations.
“This is the case whether the alleged misconduct occurs on or off duty. Investigations are conducted thoroughly and with proper oversight, ensuring that appropriate action can be taken if and as needed, including working with law enforcement authorities.”
CBP agents on the banks of the Rio Grande river from Ciudad Acuna, Coahuila state, Mexico, on September 23, 2021. Newsweek obtained public records relating to the number of active CBP officers who are currently under investigation for allegedly committing a crime.
Herika Martinez/AFP
The revelations come against a backdrop of heightened political tensions over immigration and asylum as the U.S. heads into the 2024 election.
Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump are both seeking to convince voters they can control the U.S.-Mexico border, with recent Gallup polling showing a majority of Americans now favoring greater immigration curbs for the first time since 2005. The poll showed a 15-point surge among Republicans, an 11-point increase among independents and a 10-point increase among Democrats compared to a year ago.
Responding to Newsweek’s report, Nicole Elizabeth Ramos, director of Al Otro Lado’s border rights project, said: “The real danger is not asylum seekers; it is the culture of impunity that allows human rights violators and criminals to police the border.”
“The agency cannot be salvaged,” she added.
The OPR, which was established with the authority to investigate corruption and misconduct, is headed by an Assistant Commissioner who reports directly to the Commissioner of CBP.
US customs and border patrol agents take part in a border security drill at the US-Mexico international bridge. Claims of sexual and physical abuse by officers have been uncovered, with 211 CBP officers being investigated by the Office of Professional Responsibility.
Herika Martinez/AFP
Amy Fisher, Director of Refugee and Migrant Rights at Amnesty International, told Newsweek the figures were “not surprising” and called for Congress to investigate the allegations.
“Over the last 20 years, Congress has tripled CBP’s budget and nearly doubled the number of U.S. Border Patrol agents with minimal oversight over the agency’s misuse of federal funds, verbal and physical abuse by its agents, history of racism and misogyny, or even the agency’s tactic of seizing religious items from people in its custody.
“Congress must take its oversight responsibility seriously and take a serious look at the systemic nature of the abuses and the ineffective accountability mechanisms that allow this systemic issue to persist,” she said.
The findings follow a recent report by a coalition of immigration and human rights organizations documenting claims from LGBTQ+ and HIV-positive migrants of abuse while in the custody of CBP and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Of the 41 asylum seekers surveyed, a third alleged incidents of sexual abuse, physical violence, or harassment during their detention.
In August, a CBP agent was found guilty of abducting a teenage girl before sexually abusing her, while in June an officer was convicted after accepting bribes to permit drug-filled vehicles to cross the U.S.-Mexico border.
Some 63,000 officers serve in the CBP, making it one of the world’s largest law enforcement agencies, responsible for border management and ensuring safe international travel.
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