An illegal immigrant from China said in an interview this month that she learned of gaps in the southern border through the social media app Tik Tok.
In a clip from the program, an illegal immigrant can be heard saying “TikTok, TikTok,” when asked how they learned where to cross the U.S.-Mexico border near California.
Reportedly, videos circulating the app give viewers step-by-step instructions as to how to illegal cross the border, including hiring smugglers.
Chinese are using Tiktok to cross the U.S. Border.
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) February 5, 2024
Step-by-step instructions for hiring smugglers and detailed directions to that hole we visited. We were struck by just how orderly and routine it all seemed, 60 Minutes said.pic.twitter.com/BkNluACYip
In a statement to Fox News, a TikTok spokesperson claimed: “TikTok strictly prohibits human smuggling which we remove from our platform and report to law enforcement when warranted.”
On the company’s website, it reportedly provides a platform for survivors of human exploitation to “share their stories, and for migrants and refugees to be able to document their journeys.”
In recent years, many Republican lawmakers have explained how TikTok threatens national security for many reasons. The app has alarming ties to the Chinese Communist Party and has access to users' data.
Hundreds of people who follow the instructions given on the app are able to enter to the United States before surrendering to Border Patrol (via New York Post):
“60 Minutes” also reported that SUVs arrived along the fence of the border every thirty minutes to drop off more and more groups of migrants, totaling almost 600 people crossing the gap over the course of four days alone.
This illegal immigration crisis has grown exponentially worse since President Joe Biden took office, with border crossings hitting record highs late last year. Now, several House Republicans have started an effort to impeach Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over his role in the crisis.