Secret tunnel found on U.S.-Mexico border to be sealed off
CBSJan 22
Mexico to Seal Secret Smuggling Tunnel Under US Southern Border
story
Above: An interior view of a cross-border tunnel as officials inspect a cross-border tunnel discovered in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, on Jan. 18, 2025. Image copyright: Christian Torres/Contributor/Anadolu via Getty Images
The Facts
A secret tunnel stretching roughly 300 meters (1K feet) between Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, and El Paso, Texas, was discovered on Jan. 10, 2025. Concealed within a storm sewer system, the reinforced tunnel featured lighting, ventilation, and wooden panels.
The tunnel, measuring approximately 1.8 meters (6 feet) in height and 1.2 meters (4 feet) in width, was discovered when US border patrol agents removed a metal plate covering the entry hole and subsequently alerted Mexican authorities about its existence.
Mexican military officials estimate the tunnel's construction likely took between one to two years to complete, suggesting a sophisticated operation that somehow evaded detection by local authorities during its entire construction period.
The Spin
Right narrative
Joe Biden's policies emboldened human smugglers by promising less enforcement, halting deportations, and offering sanctuary, signaling an open border. This has led cartels to pivot from drugs to a lucrative human-smuggling industry, charging migrants high fees for safe passage. The result has overwhelmed border patrol agents, unchecked entries, and a surge in diverse migrant populations, including from regions like Africa and Asia, with potential security risks.
Left narrative
The Biden administration sought to enforce immigration laws amidst a fundamentally broken system, as noted by both Democratic and Republican officials. Efforts like ending Title 42 and enhancing Title 8 aimed to manage migration legally, but the system's inefficiencies, like long court backlogs, continued to enable smuggling. Streamlining immigration could deter smugglers by offering legal pathways and reducing reliance on cartels.
