SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — Agents with Mexico’s Institute of Immigration (INM) are reportedly working with taxi drivers in a scheme to get unlawful migrants into the United States, according to Albert Rivera, head of the Agape Shelter in Tijuana.
Since last year, INM agents and members of Mexico’s National Guard, have been positioned just south of the border to prevent migrants from approaching the U.S.
Rivera says migrants are paying up to $500 per person to cabbies to take them to the border where INM agents are waiting.
“The migrants settle things with the cab drivers, who then transport them to the agents who provide access to the border,” said Rivera.
Rivera says he is asking Mexico’s federal government to investigate “the scheme,” since he believes the agents are getting a kickback from the people driving the taxis.
“I’m not saying the INM needs to get cleaned up, it’s only a few bad elements. We’re not saying all of them are doing it, it’s one or two bad apples.”
Rivera told the El Sol Newspaper of Tijuana that six families, who were then deported, used taxi drivers to connect them with the INM agents who showed them where to cross into the United States.
“The cabbies come by and pick up people who are staying here, they also meet at a nearby plaza then they drive them to an undisclosed location.”
INM did not return calls when Border Report sought information about these claims made by Rivera involving some agents and the taxi drivers.
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