A U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer smuggled migrants and has ties to a violent Mexican drug cartel, prosecutors have told a federal court.
Why It Matters
The case raises concerns about corruption within border enforcement agencies. President Donald Trump has vowed to crack down on drug cartels after he signed executive orders declaring them as foreign terrorist organizations.
What To Know
A federal magistrate judge ordered CBP Officer Manuel Perez Jr., 32, of El Paso, to be held without bond following a detention hearing on Thursday, Feb. 13, in federal court in Downtown El Paso.
Perez Jr is affiliated with La Línea, also known as the Juárez drug cartel, investigators alleged at his arraignment.
Perez's employment was terminated on February 8 following his arrest by the FBI El Paso West Texas Border Corruption Task Force on federal charges of drug and human smuggling.
He faces between 10 years to life in prison if he is convicted.
A special agent testified that Perez admitted to receiving $2,500 for each undocumented person he allowed to pass through his inspection lane at the Paso Del Norte International Bridge in Downtown El Paso. Prosecutors said that Perez may have received up to $400,000 as part of a border migrant smuggling operation that began in December 2023, according to the El Paso Times.
Intercepted phone calls revealed smugglers boasting of "100 percent guaranteed" crossings, claiming they had "the officer in their pocket," the special agent testified.
The accused's attorney, Ruben Ortiz, suggested at the hearing that the coconspirators in the border smuggling operation may be falsely implicating his client.
Perez, a U.S. citizen born in California, has no prior criminal history or issues with drugs or alcohol, his attorney said. He resides in an apartment in El Paso and rented a home in Juárez, Mexico.
The indictment alleges that Perez was involved in a migrant smuggling scheme at his post at the Paso Del Norte Bridge dating back to early December 2023.
According to the El Paso Times, an undocumented migrant paid $16,000 to be smuggled through the port of entry. Authorities also allege that Perez repeatedly allowed a gray Nissan Pathfinder carrying undocumented migrants to cross the border.
The number of people Perez assisted in smuggling across the border before his arrest remains unknown.
The case comes after Newsweek revealed last year that over 200 CBP agents are under investigation for alleged misconduct.
Official figures seen by Newsweek show 10 suspected cases of agents smuggling migrants across the border.
What People Are Saying
A CBP agent with the Office of Professional Responsibility said at the hearing: "Multiple witnesses said he belonged to La Linea cartel in Mexico."
Attorney Ruben Ortiz said at the hearing: "The cooperating witnesses are telling them (federal investigators) whatever they want to hear for now,"
A CBP spokesperson told Newsweek: "CBP stresses honor and integrity in every aspect of our mission, and the overwhelming majority of CBP employees and officers perform their duties with honor and distinction, working tirelessly every day to keep our country safe. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. We defer to the office of the U.S. Attorney for anything further on this matter."
What Happens Next
Perez remains in federal custody as the case moves forward.
Update 2/18/25, 3:08 a.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from a CBP spokesperson.
About the writer
Billal Rahman is a Live News reporter based in London, U.K. He specializes in foreign affairs and U.S. politics. He ... Read more