Smugglers are bringing migrants to a remote Arizona border crossing, overwhelming US agents
The U.S. Border Patrol says it is overwhelmed by a shift in human smuggling routes, with hundreds of migrants from faraway countries like Senegal, Bangladesh and China being dropped in a remote desert area in Arizona.
Congressional watchdog describes border wall harm, says agencies should work together to ease damage
Congress' official watchdog says in a report that the construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border under former President Donald Trump toppled untold numbers of saguaro cactuses in Arizona, put endangered ocelots at risk in Texas and disturbed Native American burial grounds.
The Biden administration guaranteed attorney access for all migrant screenings. Most donโt have it
As the Biden administration prepared to launch speedy asylum screenings at the border this spring, authorities pledged a key difference from a Trump-era version of the policy: Migrants would be guaranteed access to legal representation.
CBP reminds Michigan boaters of small vessels their reporting requirements
The U.S. Customs and Boarder Protectionโs (CBP) Office of Field Operations reminds Great Lakes boaters of small pleasure vessels arriving from a foreign port or place and any vessel that visited a hovering vessel or received merchandise outside the territorial sea must report their arrival to CBP immediately upon landing in the U.S.
Fatal boat trip highlights Haitians fleeing violence
Haitians are fleeing in greater numbers to the neighboring Dominican Republic, where they step onto rickety wooden boats as they attempt to reach Puerto Rico โ a trip in which 11 Haitian women drowned this week, with dozens of other migrants believed missing.
Investigation of journalists by Customs unit is under review
An internal review has been launched into the actions of a special Customs and Border Protection unit that used sensitive government databases intended to track terrorists to investigate as many as 20 U.S.-based journalists, including an Associated Press reporter.
Over 4,000 migrants, many kids, crowded into Texas facility
Migrants are processed at the intake area of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility, the main detention center for unaccompanied children in the Rio Grande Valley, in Donna, Texas, Tuesday, March 30, 2021. Oscar Escamilla, acting executive officer of the U.S. Border Patrol in the Rio Grande Valley, said 250 to 300 kids enter daily and far fewer leave. Border Patrol agents asked them if they had a contact in the U.S. and allowed the child to call that person. The Border Patrol generally is not supposed to detain children for more than three days, but Health and Human Services lacks space. More than 2,000 kids have been at the Donna facility for more than 72 hours, including 39 for more than 15 days.
Biden is on his heels amid a migrant surge at Mexico border
The Biden administration is facing growing questions about why it wasn't more prepared for an influx of migrants at the southern border. Since Bidenโs inauguration, the U.S. has seen a dramatic spike in the number of people encountered by border officials. But Isacson added that the bottleneck was also affected by the lack of cooperation by the Trump administration with the Biden transition. AdThe Biden administration announced on Feb. 2 it would no longer uphold the Trump administration policy of automatically deporting unaccompanied minors seeking asylum. The president and other administration officials in recent days have stepped up efforts to urge migrants not to come.
US govt seizes over 10M phony N95 masks in COVID-19 probe
They have no utility whatsoever,โ Homeland Security Secretary Ali Mayorkas said of the fake masks. Homeland Security officials would not say which states the phony masks were sent to, but said criminal charges would be forthcoming. The company delivered some 2 billion N95 masks in 2020 as the pandemic intensified, but in the earlier months, when masks were in short supply, fraudsters took advantage. But phony masks have already made it to front-line workers in other cases. Over the past year there has been more than 1,250 raids by law enforcement resulting in the seizure of millions of fake masks.
Government investigating massive counterfeit N95 mask scam
This December 2020 image provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shows a counterfeit N95 surgical mask that was seized by ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Federal investigators are probing a massive counterfeit N95 mask operation sold in at least five states to hospitals, medical facilities, and government agencies and expect the number to rise significantly in coming weeks. (ICE via AP)WASHINGTON โ Federal authorities are investigating a massive counterfeit N95 mask operation in which fake 3M masks were sold in at least five states to hospitals, medical facilities and government agencies. Nearly a year into the pandemic, fraud remains a major problem as scammers seek to exploit hospitals and desperate and weary Americans. There have been already more than 1,250 raids by law enforcement that resulted in the seizure of 10 million counterfeit 3M masks alone.
Birth on a riverbank: Woman's ordeal shows risks at border
Merรญn gave birth to her daughter next to the Rio Grande, attended to by two Border Patrol agents, showing how lives routinely end up at risk at the U.S.-Mexico border. Mother and child were hospitalized for three days, then processed at a Border Patrol station before being released to Catholic Charities. โThereโs so many women in great danger,โ said Sister Norma Pimentel, executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley. The Border Patrol blames smugglers for using people in medical distress as decoys, drawing attention from others trying to sneak into the country. The Border Patrol defends how it treats immigrants and the medical care they receive.
Shots fired at Customs and Border Protection officers on I-96, officials say
Michigan State Police are investigating after a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) vehicle was fired at on I-96 Wednesday. Customs and Border Protection can confirm that a vehicle occupied by CBP Officers was apparently fired upon earlier today on I-96,โ a spokesperson said Wednesday. Officials say that no serious injuries were reported. No additional details have been provided. More: Local News
2 detained for speaking Spanish settle border patrol lawsuit
โ Two women who were detained in northern Montana by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents for speaking Spanish while shopping at a convenience store have reached an undisclosed monetary settlement in their lawsuit against the agency, the ACLU of Montana announced Tuesday. โMaโam, the reason I asked you for your ID is because I came in here and I saw that you guys are speaking Spanish, which is very unheard of up here,โ OโNeill said in the video. โWe stood up to the government because speaking Spanish is not a reason to be racially profile and harassed,โ Suda said in a statement provided by the ACLU. In gathering information for the lawsuit, the ACLU said Customs and Border Protection agents in northern Montana acknowledged they routinely profiled non-white people. โIf there's somebody speaking Spanish down there it's like all of a sudden you've got five agents swarming in, โWhatโs going on?'
1,700% increase in drug seizures at Michigan ports of entry, CBP reports
DETROIT โ The U.S. Customs and Border Protection releases stats every year about the amount of illegal items they confiscate annually. This year, they are reporting a steep increase in items. CBP reported 9,059 pounds of marijuana, 211 pounds of cocaine, 15 pounds of fentanyl and two pounds of meth have been seized from people leaving or entering the United States at Michigan ports of entry. CBP reported a 1,736% increase in seized marijuana and 227% increase in weapons seized -- enough to supply a small army. Why the increase in illegal items crossing the border?
Gloves linked to forced labor in China stopped at LA port
WASHINGTON โ A shipment of womenโs gloves at a California port has been traced to a factory that uses forced labor of people caught up in a brutal crackdown on ethnic minorities in China, U.S. authorities said Thursday. Overland, a retailer based in Fairfield, Iowa, was seeking to import the gloves and says it has provided proof to Customs that the goods were not made with forced labor and should be released. The administration, which has clashed with China on a range of issues, including trade and the coronavirus outbreak, has also increased enforcement of a U.S. law that bans the importation of goods made with forced labor. Labor and human rights groups say it's impossible to conduct legitimate inspections in Xinjiang because of the oppressive conditions. A bipartisan bill that would declare that all goods manufactured in Xinjiang are the product of forced labor, and therefore banned from the country, passed overwhelmingly last month in the House of Representatives.
US says it will block palm oil from large Malaysian producer
An official from U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Wednesday the agency will detain shipments of palm oil and its products from FGV Holdings Berhad in Malaysia after a wide range of labor abuse indicators were found, including physical and sexual violence and forced child labor. The withhold release order will be effective immediately following a yearlong investigation, said Brenda Smith, executive assistant commissioner at the agencyโs Office of Trade. FGV is one of the worldโs largest palm oil companies and is connected to Felda, which is owned by the Malaysian government. The order comes days after an Associated Press investigation exposed a litany of labor abuses in the palm oil industry in Malaysia and Indonesia, including on a Felda plantation.
Despite travel restrictions, more than 80 guns seized at Michigan ports of entry this year
DETROIT Since COVID-19 travel restrictions began March 21, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents at Michigan ports of entry have seized more weapons than they did in all of 2019. That includes pistols, revolvers, rifles, shotguns and more. With so many weapons seized at the border with restricted travel, Local 4 Defenders want to know how could this be happening? In 2019, only 62 firearms were seized. So far this year, 81 firearms and 4,000 rounds of ammunition have been seized during a period of restricted travel due to COVID-19.
1,114 pounds of marijuana found in truck from Canada entering Michigan
PORT HURON, Mich. More than a half-ton of marijuana has been found in a commercial truck attempting to cross into Michigan from Canada via the Blue Water Bridge. The trucks records indicated it was hauling office furniture to various locations in Michigan, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Officers found more than 1,114 pounds (505 kilograms) of marijuana in vacuum-sealed packages concealed in cardboard boxes. Authorities have seized more than 4,400 pounds (1,995 kilograms) of marijuana at ports of entry across Michigan since March. The Blue Water Bridge spans the St. Clair River and connects Port Huron, Michigan, to Sarnia, Ontario.
Protesters hit with gas as locals demand feds leave Portland
Federal officers deployed tear gas and fired less-lethal rounds into a crowd of protesters late Thursday. The actions came just hours after the head of the Department of Homeland Security called the protesters violent anarchists. Federal agents, some wearing camouflage and some wearing dark Homeland Security uniforms, used tear gas at least twice to break up crowds late Friday night, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported. Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum said Friday night she was also suing Homeland Security and the Marshals Service. Federal officers deployed tear gas again just before midnight after a few protesters placed dismantled fencing in front of plywood doors covering the entrance of the federal courthouse.
Travel delays at Ambassador Bridge due to CBP system issues
DETROIT โ U.S. Customs and Border Protection have advised that they are experiencing some National System Issues and are doing everything that they can to minimize the impacts. They are also coordinating with the Ambassador Bridge Authority along with other bridge operators and stakeholders that are affected by the issue. For updated border wait times please go to the CBP website.
Customs and Border Patrol clarifies surveillance flights over Detroit protests
DETROIT Customs and Border Patrol is pushing back against claims the agencys air and marine arm used drones to surveil protesters during Detroits recent protests against police brutality and racial injustice. The letter claimed specifically unmanned predator drones were flown by CBP over Detroit, Minneapolis and San Antonio to capture video of protests and protesters. Our U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (AMO) Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Predator aircraft did not fly over Detroit at anytime during the protests, CBP spokesman Mark Grogan said in a statement. Neither of the aircraft in Detroit were predator drones, which were only flown over Minneapolis for roughly two hours. CBPs support in communities and cities nationwide is to protect innocent Americans and help ensure safe and peaceful protests.
Members of Congress demand answers after border patrol flew drones over Detroit protests
DETROIT As protesters took to the streets, U.S. Customs and Border Protection took to the skies -- flying drones over marches in Detroit, according to members of Congress. READ: Black Lives Matter protest interrupted in Taylor when woman drives through crowdSome members of Congress said predator drones were used to collect and disseminate live video feeds over protests in multiple states. Members of congress also said private data from cell phones and license plates were captured. Agencies, like CBP, are allowed to use drones to monitor within 100 miles of an international border. Drones and spy planes were also used over the protests in Buffalo, San Antonio and Washington DC.
Canada, US border closure: Heres what to know
DETROIT Non-essential between the United States and Canada has been banned since March amid the coronavirus pandemic. The border remaining closed to non-essential travel through at least June 21. Now, there are reports the ban on non-essential travel between the two countries could last until late July. In the more populated United States, cases are rising at vastly different paces depending on the state. The Detroit-Windsor Tunnel has been closed to non-essential travel since March 21, seemingly making it easier to complete a renovation of the tunnel.
Suspect arrested in Canada after shining laser at CBP helicopter in Detroit
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection helicopter was struck by a laser beam Wednesday, interfering with the operations it was conducting protests in Detroit. According to authorities, the crew was flying near the Renaissance Center when they detected their aircraft was being targeted by a green laser. The crew temporarily ceased operations, contacted the Windsor Ontario Control Tower to report the incident and kept their cameras on the person who shined the laser until Windsor Police took the person into custody. The CBP is reminding residents that lasers present a very serious risk to aviator safety and while owning a laser pointer isnt illegal, shining it into a cockpit of an aircraft is a federal crime. According to the FAA, laser pointers can potentially damage sensitive equipment and flash blind a pilot.
Michigan woman driving stolen vehicle with over $130,000 in gold bars, 30 grams of marijuana arrested at Blue Water Bridge
PORT HURON, Mich. On Thursday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers arrested a 43-year-old woman at the Blue Water Bridge driving a stolen vehicle with marijuana and $130,000 in gold. The incident took place after the woman from Eaton County made a wrong turn and ended up on the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron. In this case, CBP officers took the extra steps to identify an individual in possession of a stolen vehicle and a large amount of gold, said Port Director Michael Fox. This is another prime example of our excellent working relationship with our partners.After arresting the woman CBP officers turned the case over to Michigan State Police, who were given custody of the woman. The gold, marijuana and stolen vehicle were also turned over to MSP.
Reward offered for information after lasers pointed at helicopters from Selfridge in Macomb County
MACOMB COUNTY, Mich. โ A reward for information is offered after lasers were pointed at two Selfridge-based helicopters while they were flying in St. Clair County and Macomb County. The crews of both helicopters safely landed at Selfridge Air National Guard Base. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Coast Guard Investigative Serviceโs CGIS TIPS app, available free on Appleโs app store and Google Play. Officials are also seeking information about a laser that was pointed at a Coast Guard helicopter in Chesterfield Township on March 17. Officials noted that if a Coast Guard helicopter is on a rescue mission and a member of the aircrew is compromised by lasers, the mission must be aborted.
Pest, drugs, guns discovered at Michigan-Canada crossings
The beetle was among many things seized at Michigan-Ontario border crossings and Detroit Metropolitan Airport, including guns, drugs, counterfeit products, illegal food products and suspicious cash, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said. The khapra beetle was found last summer among documents when a Canadian resident entered the U.S. via the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron. โThis was all unintentional,โ said Mike Fox, CBP's Port Huron port director. โTo narrow down where that insect came from in Canada โ it's a long shot.โHe said the beetle hadn't been found at a U.S. northern border before the Port Huron discovery. The government said it seized 600 pounds of cocaine, 496 pounds of marijuana, 62 guns and $7.8 million in undeclared currency at Michigan-Ontario border crossings and the Detroit airport during the 2018-19 fiscal year.
Detroit Metro Airport customs officers stop Chinese citizen visiting US to collect sensitive data
ROMULUS, Mich. โ U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers stopped a woman at Detroit Metro Airport who said she was coming to the country to probe companies for sensitive data. She was questioned by CBP officers Nov. 14. Upon discovering that the womanโs intent went beyond the scope of activities allowed by her visa classification, CBP Officers allowed her to withdraw her application for admission and she was returned to China. โIntellectual property theft is a CBP trade priority,โ said Acting Port Director Robert Larkin. โCBP Officers are on the frontlines to prevent the theft of intellectual property rights and I commend the officers for their diligent work to reveal this travelerโs true intention.โ
Court rules against warrantless searches of phones, laptops
BOSTON, MA โ A federal court in Boston has ruled that warrantless U.S. government searches of the phones and laptops of international travelers at airports and other U.S. ports of entry violate the Fourth Amendment. They say border officers must now demonstrate individualized suspicion of contraband before they can search a traveler's electronic device. The number of electronic device searches at U.S. ports of entry has increased significantly, the ACLU said. During that same period of time, it conducted 40,913 border searches of electronic devices, representing less than .01 percent of arriving international travelers. "The court said today that suspicionless searches at the border of cell phones and laptops violate the Fourth Amendment," Rossman said.
Border agents stop passenger at DTW with ballistic armor, weapons cache at US residence
ROMULUS, Mich. - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers found undeclared ballistic armor and other tactical apparel in an international traveler's luggage on Aug. 18 and a weapons cache in his U.S. residence. Officials said the items were located in the luggage of a Chinese national who arrived at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport from Beijing. Officers also found evidence that the traveler had a significant weapons cache at his U.S. residence, which they said appeared to include high-capacity magazines and bump-stock devices. Officials worked with various investigative agencies, which got consent to search the traveler's residence. "I am proud of the work performed every day by our CBP officers and investigative partners to ensure the safety and security of our nation."
ACLU: Over 900 kids separated from families at border since last June
Immigrant asylum seekers wait at a bus station after being released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), on Nov. 1, 2018, in McAllen, Texas. A federal court had ordered family separations to end at that time, except in cases where a parent is unfit or presents a danger to the child. But the ACLU filing maintains that US Customs and Border Protection agents continue to do so despite the court order, separating children based on minor offenses like traffic violations. Earlier this year, a federal judge ruled that potentially thousands more parents and children the US government split up at the southern border would now be included in a lawsuit over family separations. Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan said at a recent House hearing that fewer than 1,000 migrant children have been separated from their parents at the southern border this fiscal year, out of 450,000 families who have crossed.
Justice Department appeals court order blocking asylum restrictions
The Trump administration appealed a ruling in California blocking its new asylum restrictions to a federal appeals court Monday. Last week, a federal judge in California late blocked the Trump administration's new asylum rule dramatically limiting the ability of Central American migrants to claim asylum if they enter the US by land through Mexico. The Justice Department asked Judge Jon Tigar to decide whether he would stay his order blocking the rule by Friday. "This new rule is likely invalid because it is inconsistent with the existing asylum laws," Tigar wrote in his ruling. The asylum rule immediately faced legal challenges.
AOC Says Detained Migrants Were Told to Drink Toilet Water: Today on Inside Edition
Was AOC right when she said detained migrants are drinking toilet water? U.S. Customs and Border Protection hit back hard after New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez condemned the living conditions at migrant detention facilities, accusing her of lying. Terrifying footage captured the moment a little boy feel between a train and the platform in Sydney, Australia. Nike pulled its "Betsy Ross flag" shoes at the last moment after Colin Kaepernick reportedly suggested some might find the Fourth of July design offensive. For more Inside Edition stories, tune in to today's show.
Ancient Egyptian mummy linens seized at Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron
U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Thursday that they recently seized ancient Egyptian mummy linens during an enforcement operation at the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron. On May 25, CBP officers identified a shipment on a Canadian mail truck that was selected for an enforcement examination at the Centralized Examination Station in Marysville. An inspection of a selected package revealed five jars of ancient Egyptian mummy linen. CBP began to coordinate with a Washington, DC based archaeological organization in determining the admissibility of the presumed antiquities. I am extremely proud of our officers hard work during and after the discovery of these ancient artifacts said Port Director Michael Fox.