Migrants clone Border Patrol vehicles in bid to bypass Trump's crackdown
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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.”

Photos of the white truck showed it had “Booty Patrol” on the back and side panels with a diagonal green stripe down the side of the cab.

Border tunnel

The inside of a cross-border tunnel between Mexico’s Tijuana into the San Diego area. (Homeland Security Investigations via AP)

Sophisticated smuggling tunnels between the southern border and the U.S. are well documented and add another layer of complexity in the ongoing efforts to reduce illegal immigration.

Fox News Digital has previously reported on the intricate tunnel systems connecting the U.S. with its southern neighbors.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration reports that most illicit drugs in the U.S. are smuggled via vehicles at southern border entry points, but some enter through cross-border tunnels and subterranean passageways.

Human trafficking awareness day

According to a United Nations report, there are over 40 million victims of human trafficking globally.  (Fox News)

Moulton said many migrants who find themselves embroiled in human smuggling operations are, in many cases, victims of trafficking or fraud.

“Smuggling operations also make it harder for legitimate asylum seekers to navigate the system, further complicating immigration policies and creating a negative connotation around immigration,” she said. 

The immigration attorney said she has advocated for better coordination between law enforcement, immigration officials and legal advocates, saying that coordination “could help dismantle criminal networks before they put more lives in danger.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House and U.S. Customs and Border Protection for comment.

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