Mexican cartels take over US CBP One app.
EXCLUSIVE: Mexican Cartels Exploit Vulnerabilities in U.S. Government’s CBP One App
The Mexican government is allowing immigrants from Guatemala to continue their journey to the U.S. border if they have obtained an appointment on the CBP One app, according to the Washington Examiner.
While this move may seem beneficial for the United States, it has inadvertently provided an opportunity for Mexican cartels to exploit the app’s security. These cartels have found a way to request unlimited appointments for individuals worldwide, surpassing the app’s intended “northern Mexico” geofence.
Former acting Department of Homeland Security secretary, Chad Wolf, expressed concern over the administration’s lack of understanding regarding the lengths cartels will go to exploit these “legal pathways.” He stated, “As the administration continues to put these ‘legal pathways’ into place, that’s music to the cartel’s ears.”
An investigation revealed that the Mexican government’s National Immigration Institute ordered immigration officials to turn away non-Mexican citizens without a CBP One app appointment. Cartels have taken advantage of this policy by overpowering the app’s security and profiting from immigrants who wish to enter Mexico. Once immigrants arrive at the Guatemala-Mexico border or in Chiapas, the INM allows them to proceed.
Cartels have been selling immigrants a service that provides them with a VPN to override the app’s server, making it impossible for the app to detect their location. This has allowed cartels to cash in on the situation, potentially with kickbacks to the Mexican government.
Smugglers openly advertise their VPN services in southern Mexico and on social media, targeting Haitians, Cubans, and Hondurans. The emergence of these VPNs may be a contributing factor to the recent increase in border encounters by U.S. authorities.
Since the Biden administration introduced the CBP One app, immigrants south of Mexico City had no legal means to enter the U.S. if they crossed illegally. However, the app’s expansion of appointment time slots in late spring disrupted the cartels’ operations and reduced their profits.
Despite concerns expressed by DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and CBP Senior Official Performing the Duties of Commissioner Troy Miller, no plan has been put forth to combat this issue. CBP has made updates to the app to enhance security, but it remains vulnerable to exploitation.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise’s office emphasized the need for legislative action to address the consequences of the Biden administration’s open border policies. They called for the passage of the Secure the Border Act, which aims to crack down on cartels and prevent the abuse of the CBP One app.
Mexico’s INM did not provide a comment on the matter.
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