CBP staff accused of exploiting government databases for personal and illicit purposes

Internal documents detail dozens of alleged incidents where Customs and Border Protection employees misused law-enforcement databases to pursue romantic interests, monitor relatives and even aid suspected smugglers.

A FOIA-obtained cache of internal records shows that Customs and Border Protection personnel have repeatedly been accused of abusing law-enforcement databases from 2009 through 2022. The allegations include officers using government systems to look up romantic targets, surveil family members, and in at least two instances share information with suspected drug traffickers or smugglers. Specific examples cite a customs officer contacting an airline employee, another extracting a former spouse's schedule, and a DHS worker employing ad-tech-derived location data to monitor coworkers.

Of roughly 300 entries, 138 were sent to management, 78 to OPR criminal investigators, and a handful classified as “Information Only,” while many cases remain unresolved or were withheld as active investigations. Critics argue the breadth of access—spanning fingerprint, travel, and commercial telemetry databases—creates opportunities for abuse as surveillance tools expand. A CBP spokesperson affirmed that alleged misconduct is taken seriously and investigated, though privacy laws restrict detailed comment.