A shocking investigation has revealed widespread misconduct among U.S. border agents, with hundreds facing allegations of serious crimes, including smuggling, bribery, and sexual assault.
According to official figures, 211 officers from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are under investigation for various forms of misconduct. The allegations range from serious crimes like drug smuggling to non-criminal misconduct.
Allegations Include:
– 17 cases of domestic violence
– 11 cases of sexual assault
– 10 cases of smuggling migrants
– 11 cases of physical abuse of detainees
– 13 cases of association with criminal gangs
Moreover, the CBP is probing allegations of crimes against children, categorized as “other criminal” due to not fitting into general criminal categories.
Democratic Rep. RaĂşl Grijalva has called for an FBI investigation, expressing concerns about the integrity of the CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) investigations. Grijalva cited OPR’s history of cover-ups.
A CBP spokesperson emphasized that the agency does not tolerate misconduct and cooperates fully with investigations.
Critics argue that the agency’s culture of impunity allows human rights violators and criminals to police the border. Amy Fisher, Director of Refugee and Migrant Rights at Amnesty International, called for Congressional investigation into the systemic nature of the abuses.
The issue has sparked renewed debate on immigration and asylum as the U.S. heads into the 2024 election. Recent Gallup polling shows a majority of Americans favoring greater immigration curbs for the first time since 2005.
As investigations continue, concerns about border agent misconduct remain at the forefront of national debate.