Turkish smugglers advertise services on social media, offering visas and transportation directly to the U.S.-Mexico border
By zoeysky // 2024-01-15
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A review of posts on Telegram and TikTok has revealed that Turkish smugglers are exploiting social media platforms to "help" migrants from various countries illegally enter the U.S. through the southern border. The illegal activity was reported by investigators from the Daily Caller News Foundation (DCNF) which reviewed posts on these social media platforms. According to federal data, there has been a record-breaking number of illegal border crossings in the last few years. Records revealed that there have been more than 2.2 million encounters in fiscal year 2022 and more than 2 million in fiscal year 2023. Turkish smugglers are advertising various services that include travel arrangements, visas and transportation directly to the U.S.-Mexico border for illegal migrants coming from Asia, Europe and the Middle East. One advertisement from Telegram promises a "GUARANTEED PASS" for a whopping $10,000. The package includes a flight from Istanbul to Cancun, a Mexican visa and entrance to Cancun. The pricey package also comes with hotel accommodations, taxi service and "delivery" to the Tijuana border. Additionally, the Telegram post mentions routes for those unable to obtain a Mexico visa, instead recommending alternative travel through Nicaragua. Several messages and videos on these Telegram channels show migrants thanking individuals such as "Volkan," a Turkish name. Many videos feature migrants showing their gratitude to this man and other people, with one person calling "Volkan" the "king man." "This is the border. Thanks to you, we have arrived in the U.S.," one illegal immigrant said in a TikTok video taken next to the border wall. There's also a video of a man walking across the border while saying that "Volkan" can be trusted to get them into America. "When it looks like no one can let you through the doors … you always leave the door open for everybody," the man said. Both the names "Volkan" and "Burak," another Turkish name, are mentioned in various Telegram messages. In a private Telegram conversation between the DCNF and Burak, the alleged smuggler claimed he helps people from all over the world enter the U.S. by obtaining Mexican visas or helping them travel through Nicaragua or El Salvador. Burak communicated in Turkish, which the DCNF had translated for the report. According to internal Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data, the increase in migrants from "Special Interest" countries has skyrocketed by almost 600 percent to 25,627 in fiscal year 2022 compared to the previous year. The CBP views the illegal immigrants from "Special Interest" countries as "potentially having connections to terrorism." (Related: Mexican president asks U.S. to grant visas to 10M Hispanic migrants and $20B in cash to help curb illegal immigration.)

Smugglers use social media to avoid federal investigations

A Border Patrol official, who requested anonymity, said smugglers earn much more from "Special Interest Aliens" because of fees based on country of origin. The official emphasized the significant increase in migrants from Turkey, with encounters increasing from about 1,300 in fiscal year 2021 to an alarming 15,400 in fiscal year 2023. Turkish smugglers use encrypted apps like Telegram to their advantage because these social media platforms are an obstacle for federal investigators. According to two anonymous U.S. intelligence officials, Telegram's cooperation with U.S. law enforcement is limited to terrorism cases. This allows smugglers to recruit new clients openly using Telegram. The two officials also explained that most immigrants pay at least $10,000 for smuggling to countries bordering the U.S., knowing that they can claim asylum upon arrival and be released without facing consequences. Responding to DCNF's inquiry, Telegram claimed that since its creation, the company "has actively moderated harmful content" on the platform. Telegram spokesperson Remi Vaughn insisted that the platform’s moderators use a combination of proactive monitoring and user reports to remove content violating their terms of service. CBP previously sent a memo about a smuggling route involving Chinese migrants obtaining Mexican visas in Istanbul. A CBP spokesperson also informed the DCNF about groups pretending to be travel agencies in Senegal that manage migrant travel to the U.S.-Mexico border through the European Union. The Turkish Embassy in Washington, D.C., did not respond to a request for comment on the smuggling allegations. Visit BorderSecurity.news for more updates about the ongoing migrant crisis in America. Watch the video below as groups of illegal aliens enter the U.S. through a border wall breach made by smugglers. This video is from the GalacticStorm channel on Brighteon.com.

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