Some human smugglers have turned to cloning Border Patrol vehicles to illegally transfer migrants into the United States amid President Donald Trump’s border crackdown.
Immigration attorney Meesha Moulton, the managing partner and the owner of Meesha Moulton Law in Las Vegas, told Fox News Digital that cloning Border Patrol vehicles is not a new phenomenon. She said that criminal organizations are “constantly” finding new ways to bypass border security.
Under the new Trump administration, their efforts have increased amid the president’s mandate to halt illegal immigration. The administration’s crackdown included shutting down former President Biden’s CBP One program, which allowed migrants in Mexico to schedule an appointment to request asylum at a legal border crossing.
Moulton said she has witnessed firsthand “how these operations create legal chaos, put lives at risk and strain law enforcement resources.”
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Human smugglers have turned to cloning Border Patrol vehicles to bypass security measures. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
The cloning of vehicles is part of a longstanding human smuggling operation in the U.S. Moulton said the smuggling networks “profit off desperation,” leaving many migrants trafficked as they illegally enter the U.S.
“Once they’re in the country, they may be left stranded, extorted or forced into labor,” she said. “These organizations are also using fake law enforcement vehicles to transport drugs, weapons and other illegal goods, making it even harder for officials to tell real agents from the criminals impersonating them.”
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Reuters reported that the Trump administration clampdown on illegal immigration has resulted in migrants turning to pricey smuggling operations.
One Honduran migrant, Alex Diaz, told the outlet that after his CBP One appointment was canceled, he looked into a smuggling operation that promised a safe delivery into the U.S.
“I didn’t want to come in illegally. But Trump can’t take the American dream from me,” Diaz told Reuters. He told them that the smugglers quoted him $7,000 to reach San Antonio safely.
A cloned U.S. Border Patrol vehicle was seized south of the border by Mexican authorities after agents observed suspicious activity nearby. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
Vehicle cloning is not a one-off event, with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and state law enforcement alerting the public of an increase in smuggling cases using fake Border Patrol vehicles.
As recently as February, a group used an official-looking vehicle to transport migrants, proving how bold these criminal organizations have become.
A Feb. 4 indictment filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona alleges Uriel Perez, Jovani Sanchez and Keven Valdez Ramirez conspired to transport migrants from a breach in the border wall near Andrade, California, to a residence across the state line in Yuma, Arizona.
The Mexican nationals and a U.S. citizen were caught attempting to smuggle 24 Mexican nationals into the U.S. illegally, authorities said.
The trio outfitted a white Ford F-150 pickup, fully customized to match the federal K-9 unit. The driver also outfitted himself with what resembled a Border Patrol uniform.
An image of a cloned Border Patrol vehicle that was seized by agents following a short chase in California. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
In July 2023, legitimate border agents spotted an individual cutting the steel international boundary fence several miles from the Calexico Port of Entry. An investigation led to the discovery of a “cloned truck,” a Ford F-150 pickup truck, along with 17 individuals who Border Patrol believed were being used in a smuggling attempt.
In September 2022, El Centro station’s Remote Video Surveillance System Operators observed and notified agents of a possible cloned Border Patrol Chevrolet Tahoe traveling on a highway.
An 18-year-old U.S. citizen was arrested and the “cloned” SUV was seized.
Photos of the truck show the truck bed with the words “BOOTY PATROL” on it, and the doors are decorated with a decal that mimics a law enforcement seal. (DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook)
A Florida man was pulled over for driving a truck that was painted similar to the appearance of Border Patrol vehicles but read “Booty Patrol” on the back.
The DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office released a public service announcement in November 2023, warning residents of the fake pickup truck. While the driver was not participating in a human smuggling operation, authorities warned that the impersonation could result in a citation.
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Photos of the white truck showed it had “Booty Patrol” on the back and side panels with a diagonal green stripe down the side of the cab.
The inside of a cross-border tunnel between Mexico’s Tijuana into the San Diego area. (Homeland Security Investigations via AP)
Sophisticated smuggling tunnels between the southern border and the U.S. are well documented and add another layer of complexity in the ongoing efforts to reduce illegal immigration.
Fox News Digital has previously reported on the intricate tunnel systems connecting the U.S. with its southern neighbors.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration reports that most illicit drugs in the U.S. are smuggled via vehicles at southern border entry points, but some enter through cross-border tunnels and subterranean passageways.
According to a United Nations report, there are over 40 million victims of human trafficking globally. (Fox News)
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Moulton said many migrants who find themselves embroiled in human smuggling operations are, in many cases, victims of trafficking or fraud.
“Smuggling operations also make it harder for legitimate asylum seekers to navigate the system, further complicating immigration policies and creating a negative connotation around immigration,” she said.
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The immigration attorney said she has advocated for better coordination between law enforcement, immigration officials and legal advocates, saying that coordination “could help dismantle criminal networks before they put more lives in danger.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House and U.S. Customs and Border Protection for comment.
