Lead: A U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) supervisor, Andres Wilkinson, 52, has been federally charged after authorities allege he harbored a woman in Laredo, Texas, who had overstayed a temporary visa and is now in the United States unlawfully. The Justice Department says Wilkinson provided housing, financial support and vehicle access while traveling through Border Patrol checkpoints with the woman. Officials also say the woman is both Wilkinson’s romantic partner and, according to investigative material, his niece; investigators detained her in February 2026. If convicted, Wilkinson faces up to 10 years in prison and a possible $250,000 fine, and he remains in custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for Friday.
Key Takeaways
- Charges filed: The Justice Department has lodged federal criminal charges against CBP supervisor Andres Wilkinson for allegedly harboring an unauthorized immigrant.
- Alleged support: Prosecutors say Wilkinson provided financial support, housing, credit cards and vehicle access to the woman, and they traveled together near Texas Border Patrol checkpoints.
- Immigration status: The woman reportedly entered the U.S. on a temporary visa in August 2023 and is alleged to have overstayed that authorization.
- Family ties alleged: Investigators collected information indicating the woman is Wilkinson’s niece and that she was married to another man who filed and later withdrew a green card petition for her.
- Timeline highlights: Husband filed a green card application in January 2024 that was canceled in April 2025; CBP OPR observed Wilkinson with the woman and her daughter in May 2025 and detained the woman in February 2026.
- Penalties: Federal penalties cited by the Justice Department include up to 10 years in prison and a possible $250,000 fine if convicted.
- Career context: Wilkinson has served with CBP for nearly 25 years and was promoted to a supervisory role in 2021, where he oversaw immigration enforcement duties.
Background
The complaint alleges the woman entered the United States on a temporary visa in August 2023 and that, according to statements in the investigation, she began living with Wilkinson in August 2024. Immigration enforcement statutes criminalize knowingly concealing, harboring or shielding an unauthorized immigrant; such charges are often pursued when an individual is accused of providing shelter, transportation or other material support. CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) opened inquiries after observing Wilkinson with the woman and her daughter in May 2025 and then followed the matter for several months.
Separately, records cited in the complaint show the woman was married and that her spouse filed a green card petition with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in January 2024; that petition was canceled in April 2025. The complaint also notes that Wilkinson identified a man named J. Santos Garcia-Moreno as his brother on a 2023 background form, while OPR investigators determined the woman is Garcia-Moreno’s daughter. Those connections form part of the investigative record but remain subject to evidentiary development in court.
Main Event
The Justice Department’s criminal complaint alleges that Wilkinson provided the woman with housing, credit cards and assistance paying financial obligations, and that the pair traveled together through Border Patrol checkpoints near the Texas border. CBP OPR investigators say they gathered information indicating a familial relationship between Wilkinson and the woman and that she had been living with him since August 2024. Investigators detained the woman in February 2026 as part of the inquiry.
Wilkinson, a CBP employee of nearly a quarter-century promoted to a supervisory role in 2021, made an initial court appearance and is being held pending a detention hearing set for Friday. Prosecutors have described the facts in the complaint as evidence that Wilkinson knew of the woman’s unlawful immigration status yet maintained a romantic relationship with her. CBS News contacted a lawyer listed for Wilkinson but had not received a response at the time of reporting; CBP also did not immediately comment.
The complaint further reports that the woman’s husband had filed a family-based green card petition on her behalf in January 2024 and subsequently withdrew it in April 2025. Investigators say that information, together with background-investigation entries and OPR observations, informed their view of the relationship and Wilkinson’s conduct. The case is being handled as a criminal matter by federal prosecutors, and criminal allegations remain allegations until proven beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
Analysis & Implications
This case raises immediate questions about internal oversight, trust and conflicts of interest within agencies responsible for immigration enforcement. If the allegations that a frontline supervisor provided material support to an unauthorized immigrant are substantiated, prosecutors may argue the conduct undermined the integrity of CBP’s enforcement mission and created potential vulnerabilities at points of inspection. Such charges also spotlight the challenge of ensuring staff comply with the same laws they enforce, which can erode public confidence if not addressed transparently.
Legally, harboring prosecutions hinge on proving knowledge and affirmative acts to conceal or shield an individual from detection. The complaint emphasizes alleged financial support and shared travel through checkpoints—facts prosecutors will use to establish that Wilkinson acted beyond passive association. A defense is likely to contest the factual record and the interpretation of Wilkinson’s conduct; outcomes will depend on documentary evidence, witness credibility and how courts construe the statute’s elements.
Operationally, the case could prompt renewed agency scrutiny of workplace relationships and residence disclosures in background investigations, especially for supervisors in positions that influence inspections or enforcement. Administratively, CBP may pursue personnel or internal-discipline actions in parallel with the criminal case, particularly if the allegations show violations of internal policies or ethics rules. Politically, high-profile prosecutions of law-enforcement personnel can drive legislative and oversight interest in agency hiring, monitoring and disciplinary frameworks.
Comparison & Data
| Key Date | Event |
|---|---|
| August 2023 | Woman entered U.S. on temporary visa |
| January 2024 | Husband filed green card petition |
| April 2025 | Husband canceled the petition |
| May 2025 | CBP OPR observed Wilkinson with the woman and her daughter |
| August 2024 | Woman reportedly began living with Wilkinson (per complaint) |
| February 2026 | Woman detained; complaint filed and Wilkinson charged |
The table above condenses dates and allegations from the complaint and investigative notes. Compared with other harboring prosecutions, this case is notable for the combination of alleged family ties, a marital relationship that included a withdrawn immigration petition, and the accused’s supervisory role inside CBP. Historically, harboring cases vary widely in penalty exposure and prosecutorial approach; here, the Justice Department cites statutory maximums of up to 10 years and a potential $250,000 fine.
Reactions & Quotes
“[He] provided her financial support, including housing, credit cards, assistance with financial obligations and access to vehicle.”
Department of Justice (criminal complaint)
That language from the complaint summarizes the acts prosecutors contend establish material support and harboring. Such enumerated acts will be central to building a criminal case that the defendant knowingly concealed or sheltered an unauthorized individual.
“[He] was aware of her unlawful immigration status yet maintained a romantic relationship with her.”
Department of Justice (criminal complaint)
This phrasing highlights prosecutors’ emphasis on knowledge plus conduct. Defense counsel frequently challenges both the accuracy of such characterizations and the legal inferences drawn from them; any trial or plea discussion will hinge on documentary proof and witness statements.
Unconfirmed
- Familial relationship: Officials say investigative material indicates the woman is Wilkinson’s niece, but full genealogical documentation and formal proof have not been disclosed publicly.
- Motives for petition withdrawal: The reason the husband canceled the green card petition in April 2025 is not established in the public record and remains unexplained in the complaint.
- Duration and nature of cohabitation: While the complaint states the woman lived with Wilkinson since August 2024, independent corroboration and the full factual record will be litigated in court.
Bottom Line
The Justice Department’s case centers on allegations that a long-serving CBP supervisor used his position and resources to shelter an unauthorized immigrant who investigators say was both his romantic partner and his niece. The charges, if proven, carry significant prison and monetary penalties and raise broader concerns about internal integrity where employees enforce immigration rules. For CBP, the matter underscores the importance of robust oversight, transparent internal review and timely discipline when allegations involve those in supervisory roles.
Readers should note these are criminal allegations that will be tested in court; the legal process will determine whether prosecutors can meet the burden of proof. In the near term, expect heightened scrutiny by agency watchdogs and possible administrative action alongside the criminal proceedings, and monitor court filings for documentary evidence that clarifies the contested facts.
Sources
- CBS News — news report summarizing the complaint and initial case details.
- U.S. Department of Justice — official federal law-enforcement authority and source of criminal complaints and press releases (official).
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection — agency employing the accused and responsible for internal oversight through its Office of Professional Responsibility (official).