Weakened US-Mexico Border Security Due to Millions of Dollars in Bribes Elena Toledo - PanAm Post
go to original December 30, 2016

The New York Times conducted an investigation into the internal records of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which reveals that millions of dollars in bribes have weakened the security of the US-Mexico border.

Listen: Ron Nixon investigated this story for the Times. He says the types of bribes vary. (KERA News)

One of the cases that the investigation details is that of Joohoon David Lee, a Homeland Security agent in Los Angeles, who was assigned to investigate the case of a Korean man who was accused of sex trafficking. However, the investigation was not completed, because Lee requested USD $13,000 in bribes in exchange for “making migratory problems go away” for the subject and his relatives.

Lee also presented a false report in which he indicated that although the individual was suspected of sex trafficking, there was no evidence to prove it, according to court records. Lee’s official report noted: “Case closed. No further action is required.”

Lee was later implicated by another agent who told the authorities about his colleague’s malfeasance. Lee pleaded guilty and received a sentence of ten months in jail.

According to the New York Times investigation this was not an isolated case. Thousands of court records and internal documents indicate that in the last 10 years nearly 200 employees and workers hired by the Department of Homeland Security have received over USD $15 million in bribes.

The investigation reveals a litany of serious crimes committed by “public servants” including selling green cards and other immigration documents, altering databases, and providing sensitive information to drug cartels.

US President-elect Donald Trump has said throughout his campaign that border security would be one of his top priorities, yet many of the problems presented here are issues of personnel, rather than infrastructure.

Read the rest at PanAm Post | Español

Related: Border Agents Took At Least $15 Million in Bribes in the Last 10 Years (KUT-FM)

We invite you to add your charity or supporting organizations' news stories and coming events to PVAngels so we can share them with the world. Do it now!