As Brazilians Arrive at the US Border, a Suspected Smuggler Profits

Record numbers of Brazilians have been arrested at the United States' southern border this year. Police believe the investigation¹ into one man has led them to one of the smuggling² operations that moves migrants north.

In early June, Brazilian federal police arrested Chelbe Moraes. He is a Brazilian businessman who is suspected of illegally taking his daughter to Paraguay after a dispute with her mother.

During the investigation into the charges, police listened to the phone calls of Moraes' business partners. The officers began to suspect Moraes was an experienced people smuggler⁴, or "coyote."

On June 25, a police report was sent to a federal judge and seen by Reuters. It asked that several criminal charges be filed against Moraes, including illegally moving a child, human smuggling and agreeing to perform an illegal act.

Police accuse him of charging Brazilians around $20,000 each to illegally enter the United States via Mexico without legal visas. Court documents say Moraes built an international network that includes corrupt⁵ police officers and officials, and U.S.-based family members.

Moraes said he is innocent. He told Reuters he runs a lawful⁶ agency that informs people on how to get asylum⁷ in the United States. He said he has helped up to 200 people over 20 years. He charges those who meet U.S. rules on asylum up to $18,086 to help them migrate⁸.

Moraes said his information is costly⁹, "... because I know American laws."

Migrant wave

U.S. Customs and Border Protection, or CBP, say during the first 11 months of the 2021 financial year, 46,280 Brazilians were arrested by officials at the southern U.S. border, making them sixth among nationalities arrested at the border in 2021. More than 550,000 Mexicans have been arrested.

It is part of a wave of Latin American migrants leaving countries whose economies have been damaged by COVID-19. Southern border arrests have jumped to their highest levels in 20 years.

As of now, Moraes remains¹⁰ free in Brazil after saying he was not guilty of illegally taking his child to Paraguay. No charges have been placed in connection to a possible smuggling operation. This permits police to continue their investigation of Moraes.

Two people who knew of his suspected actions, a former customer and a former partner, talked with Reuters. They said Moraes tells his customers to act like tourists when they arrive in Mexico. They also said Moraes sometimes helps his customers by paying Mexican immigration officials.

Suspected actions

The two people said Moraes transports the Brazilians north. They either jump the border with the help of paid Mexican coyotes, or they ask for asylum by using false papers and stories Moraes has prepared.

People who can prove they face mistreatment at home because of their race, religion, nationality, social group or political opinions may meet the requirements for U.S. asylum. Those who enter the U.S. may remain for years in the states while their cases are processed because of the number of cases courts have.

Moraes said those who claim he ran a smuggling operation were "induced¹²" to do so by police or did not like him due to his success.

But he recognized he has gained from Brazil's problems.

He said, "The worse the government here gets, the better for me."

Words in This Story

smuggle³ – v. to move (someone or something) from one country into another illegally and secretly

network – n. a group of people or organizations that are closely connected and that work with each other

customer – n. someone who buys goods or services from a business

tourist – n. a person who travels to a place for pleasure

induce¹¹ – v. to cause (someone or something) to do something

1 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

2 smuggling   

n.走私

参考例句：

• Some claimed that the docker's union fronted for the smuggling ring.某些人声称码头工人工会是走私集团的掩护所。
• The evidence pointed to the existence of an international smuggling network.证据表明很可能有一个国际走私网络存在。

3 smuggle   

vt.私运；vi.走私

参考例句：

• Friends managed to smuggle him secretly out of the country.朋友们想方设法将他秘密送出国了。
• She has managed to smuggle out the antiques without getting caught.她成功将古董走私出境，没有被逮捕。

4 smuggler   

n.走私者

参考例句：

• The smuggler is in prison tonight, awaiting extradition to Britain. 这名走私犯今晚在监狱，等待引渡到英国。
• The smuggler was finally obliged to inform against his boss. 那个走私犯最后不得不告发他的首领。

5 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

6 lawful   

adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的

参考例句：

• It is not lawful to park in front of a hydrant.在消火栓前停车是不合法的。
• We don't recognised him to be the lawful heir.我们不承认他为合法继承人。

7 asylum   

n.避难所，庇护所，避难

参考例句：

• The people ask for political asylum.人们请求政治避难。
• Having sought asylum in the West for many years,they were eventually granted it.他们最终获得了在西方寻求多年的避难权。

8 migrate   

vi.（候鸟等）迁徙，移居（国外），迁移

参考例句：

• Many birds migrate south for the winter.冬天时，许多鸟类迁徙南方。
• The rich people often migrate in winter to Florida.有钱的人常在冬季搬迁到佛罗里达州去。

9 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

10 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

11 induce   

vt.引诱，劝；引起，导致

参考例句：

• The medicine will induce sleep.这种药使人入睡。
• Certain chemicals can induce undesirable changes in the nervous system.有些化学物质能在神经系统中引起不良变化。

12 induced   

adj. 感应的, 导致的 动词induce的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• In a word, the induced e. m. f. lags behind the current. 总之，感应电动势滞后于电流。
• We induced him to come with us. 我们劝他与我们同行。