DHS Uses ‘Encrypted Chatroom’ to Tell Illegals When to Cross Rio Grande: Report

In recent days, large crowds of immigrants have formed on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande fully prepared to swim over well-worn crossing spots to Brownsville – but seemingly held back by unarmed Mexican immigration officials.

Over the course of several recent days in this northeastern Mexican city when perhaps 3,000 immigrants a day swam over to Brownsville with no opposition on either side, a curious pattern became evident. At some sort of signal from the Mexican immigration officers, a group of about 100-150 from the crowd would suddenly stand in unison and rush down the riverbank, past the immigration officers, and swim over to America.

It turns out that this pattern was far from happenstance. The Center for Immigration Studies asked several of the Mexican immigration officers what was going on and learned that President Joe Biden’s Department of Homeland Security has been coordinating these mass swims with Mexico’s immigration service, INM, at high levels on an encrypted Whatsapp channel.

The officers explained that their senior officers were in touch with U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials about how many immigrants were gathered and were prepared to cross the river at any given time.

“We’re letting them know that there’s a group of people ready to cross,” one officer explained.

The Americans on the other side would ask the Mexicans to hold back the migrants – not because such crossings are illegal and should be blocked and obstructed, but only until the Americans had finished processing the last batch into the country through Brownsville. Once the Americans felt they could take in more, they message the Mexicans that “they are ready to receive them.” Then, senior officials would radio the on-ground immigration officers, all of whom are equipped with radios.

Next, the officers signal to the waiting crowd to go forward and, once they figure enough are in the water, they cut off the rest and push and cajole them back into line until the Americans signal they’re ready again.

The Mexican officers said the Americans initiated this system in late April but could only guess at why – perhaps to better manage the processing of very high recent numbers of crossings. But the collaboration explains why Mexican immigration officers are stationed at the river at all, and raises many questions.

CBP did not immediately respond to CIS’s telephoned and emailed messages for comment.

But the process, which has never been publicized, amounts to a “controlled-flow” system most often used, controversially, by Colombia, Panama, and Costa Rica, to facilitate mass illegal migration to the U.S. border rather than incur the expense and trouble of blocking it in those countries.

Controlled-flow by the Biden administration’s DHS with Mexico also constitutes a highly unusual U.S. policy that demonstrates formal acquiescence to illegal immigration and an official willingness to accommodate mass illegal immigration rather than stopping, blocking, or deterring it, as required by law.

It remains unclear as the Title 42 expedited removal power comes to an end at midnight on 5/11, and is replaced by a new policy, if the controlled-flow scheme will continue working.

Numerous times in Matamoros, CIS witnessed migrants charge the Mexican immigration officers and pour into the river ahead of “schedule.”

Dozens of the migrants openly argued with the Mexican officers to let them through. But the officers argued back that they had to be patient, lest children or adults drown in uncontrolled crossings.

Mexico seemed to signal a willingness to use muscle if necessary to maintain the controlled-flow arrangement. Late Tuesday, as the crowd grew visibly restive, a squad of armed Mexican National Guard showed up and began patrolling the line.