According to prosecutors, the officers permitted numerous vehicles containing undocumented individuals to navigate through their inspection lanes in Southern California in exchange for monetary compensation.
Individuals waiting in a shaded area at the San Ysidro port of entry in Southern California.
Pedestrians crossing from Tijuana, Mexico, into Southern California via the San Ysidro port of entry last year. Credit…Meridith Kohut for The New York Times
By Johnny Diaz
April 7, 2025
Two border protection agents in Southern California have been indicted for allegedly accepting substantial bribes to permit undocumented individuals to cross into the United States at one of the nation’s busiest land entry points without presenting valid documentation, as stated by prosecutors.
Farlis Almonte and Ricardo Rodriguez face charges filed on March 24, which include conspiracy to facilitate the illegal entry of aliens for profit, facilitating the illegal entry of aliens for profit, and accepting bribes as public officials, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
The investigation commenced following reports from several smugglers arrested in September, who indicated they had collaborated with U.S. border inspectors, as detailed in a criminal complaint made public on March 25.
As officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Mr. Almonte and Mr. Rodriguez were assigned to immigration inspection booths at the San Ysidro Port of Entry, as outlined in the complaint.
Charges were brought against them after investigators uncovered text messages indicating that they had alerted human smugglers in Mexico regarding their work schedules and assigned lanes in return for cash payments totaling thousands of dollars, as per the complaint.
This illicit operation reportedly spanned from August 2024 to January 2025, according to prosecutors. Investigators noted that both individuals deposited “unusually large amounts of cash” into their accounts during the latter half of 2024.
Mr. Almonte is reported to have deposited nearly $22,000 in cash through small transactions, while Mr. Rodriguez deposited approximately $24,000 in a similar manner, as determined by investigators.
Following Mr. Almonte’s arrest, authorities seized nearly $70,000 in cash that they suspect was being transported by his romantic partner to Tijuana, as reported by The San Diego Union-Tribune.
In one incident during December, a vehicle carrying four passengers entered a lane supervised by Mr. Almonte. Upon reviewing identification documents that appeared suspiciously invalid for the passengers, he nonetheless allowed them to proceed, as indicated in the complaint.
“Subsequent investigations revealed that these four individuals were undocumented aliens lacking permission to enter or remain in the United States,” the complaint noted.
In another instance, surveillance footage captured a vehicle at a checkpoint where only the driver possessed valid documentation, according to the complaint.
The officers “neglected their official responsibilities, frequently allowing vehicles with multiple occupants to pass through without conducting thorough inspections while documenting only the drivers,” stated the complaint.
Legal representatives for Mr. Almonte and Mr. Rodriguez did not respond promptly to inquiries on Monday.
“Any Customs and Border Protection agent who facilitates or ignores smugglers bringing undocumented immigrants into the U.S. is violating their oath and jeopardizing national security,” remarked Andrew Haden, acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California, in a statement. “Those who partake in such misconduct will face full accountability under the law.”
