Advertisements targeting illegal immigrants who have recently crossed the border have emerged in Eagle Pass, Texas, encouraging them to seek refuge in sanctuary cities across the United States.
These ads, shared on X by the Columbia Bugle, promote cities such as Chicago, San Francisco, and New York City as destinations for undocumented immigrants.
One flyer, titled 'United States of America Sanctuary City Travel Guide,' highlights San Francisco's policies that restrict city employees from assisting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in immigration investigations or arrests, unless legally required. The flyer also mentions the city's lenient shoplifting laws, healthcare accessibility for residents regardless of immigration status, and its reputation for being diverse and tolerant.
The flyer states, "A Sanctuary City is a safe haven for immigrants like you, regardless of your immigration status. These cities have policies in place to limit their cooperation with the national government's effort to enforce immigration laws. This means you can live, work, and enjoy life with a lower risk of deportation."
Chicago is also promoted as a welcoming city with its "welcoming city ordinance," access to services, and language assistance. A truck near the border displays an advertisement featuring the Golden Gate Bridge, proclaiming "San Francisco Welcomes Immigrants."
In addition to these advertisements, smugglers are also targeting individuals along the border. Officials in Kinney County, located north of Eagle Pass, revealed in July that cartels are using TikTok to advertise their smuggling operations. One Spanish post translated to seeking drivers in Texas, offering payments of $10,000 to $20,000, with smuggling mentioned in the background.
Sheriff Brad Coe of Kinney County stated that "99.9 percent of smugglers they encounter and arrest are American citizens."
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