Al's Morning Meeting

Through interviews and undercover surveillance video from U.S. law enforcement officials, Bergman reports on how this illicit and growing business is enticing some U.S. border agents into illegal activity themselves. He follows the story of one such corrupt U.S. border guard, Michael Gilliland, a decorated Customs and Border Protection inspector with 16 years' experience who was allegedly enticed to join the smugglers by a combination of money and sex. "This is like a cold war technique," says FBI supervisor Andy Black. "Greed is a powerful motivator for some individuals. Sex is a powerful motivator. In this case, there is more pressure now than [at] any other time for smuggling organizations to elicit the help of border officials in their smuggling operations. If you have a corrupt border official working for you, you’ve got the keys to the nation."

The amount of money corrupt inspectors can make is also a major temptation. Michael Gilliland pled guilty to accepting more than $100,000 in bribes for waving targeted vans of illegals through the border. The FBI says he was likely making $1,000 for each migrant he allowed through, and could make as much as $60,000 in one evening. With almost 200 cases now under investigation across the southwest border, FBI supervisor Black says that corruption is a growing problem. "Those corrupt officials that are allowing vehicles in unchecked have no idea as to what's entering this country, whether it's a potential terrorist, a convicted murderer, convicted rapist or drugs."