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.”
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.”