Instructions on how to cross border illegally delivered to migrants via phone apps
by: Salvador Rivera
Posted: Sep 1, 2023 / 05:32 PM CDT
Updated: Sep 1, 2023 / 05:32 PM CDT
SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — Some migrants looking to cross the border are now relying on phone applications that provide instructions on how to unlawfully trek into the U.S., immigration officials and advocates say.
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David Pérez Tejada, director of Mexico’s Institute of Migration in Baja California, says it might sound strange, but migrants are essentially purchasing different travel packages.
“They are sold complete packages for $10,000 to bring them from, say, Colombia all the way to Tijuana,” he said. “Then they are met with a guide who shows them where to cross and how to download further instructions.”
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He says migrants get support through social networks such as WhatsApp and Telegram.
“They are using these digital platforms showing them routes, which are then shared with fellow countrymen,” said Pérez Tejada. “They also upload TikToks or Facebook (posts) detailing their crossings in real-time, so others know where to go.”
https://www.borderreport.com/immigration/border-crime/instructions-on-how-to-cross-border-illegally-delivered-to-migrants-via-phone-apps/
