Two U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers assigned to the San Ysidro Port of Entry—the nation’s busiest border crossing—have been charged with accepting bribes in exchange for allowing undocumented individuals to enter the U.S. without inspection, federal prosecutors revealed Thursday.
Farlis Almonte and Ricardo Rodriguez are accused of working with human traffickers in Mexico, coordinating the illegal entry of dozens of undocumented immigrants by waving them through inspection booths without checking for documents. According to a criminal complaint, investigators uncovered messages exchanged with smugglers and found significant, unexplained cash deposits in the officers’ bank accounts.
Surveillance footage captured at least one instance where only a driver was logged in official records, despite a passenger also entering the U.S. Prosecutors allege both officers received thousands of dollars per vehicle they let through.
The case came to light after three previously arrested migrant smugglers told authorities they had been collaborating with U.S. border officials. Almonte was later taken into custody, and investigators allegedly intercepted nearly $70,000 in cash believed to have been en route to Tijuana with his romantic partner. He may also face additional charges, including money laundering and obstruction of justice.
Rodriguez’s attorney, Michael Hawkins, stated that his client is presumed innocent and described him as a “hardworking and loyal” individual.
This case is part of a troubling pattern. Five CBP officers stationed in the San Diego area have been charged with corruption-related offenses in the last two years. Last year, former border officer Leonard Darnell George was sentenced to 23 years for a similar bribery scheme involving undocumented individuals and drug trafficking.
“Any CBP agent who aids or turns a blind eye to smugglers is betraying their oath and endangering our national security,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden.
The investigations underscore ongoing vulnerabilities within the U.S. border enforcement system and raise fresh concerns about internal corruption and bribes compromising national security efforts.
