CBP officer faces federal charges over allegations he harbored an unauthorized immigrant who was also his girlfriend and niece

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer is facing federal criminal charges for allegedly harboring an immigrant in the country illegally, who officials claim is both his girlfriend and his niece.

According to the Justice Department, Andres Wilkinson, a CBP officer and supervisor based in Laredo, Texas, was living with a woman who had overstayed her temporary visa and was unlawfully present in the U.S. She initially entered the country on a temporary visa in August 2023. The federal complaint states that Wilkinson provided her with housing, access to credit cards, financial assistance, and use of a vehicle. The two are also accused of traveling together through Border Patrol checkpoints near the Texas border.

The complaint notes that Wilkinson was aware of the woman’s illegal status yet maintained a romantic relationship with her. Investigators further allege that the woman is actually Wilkinson’s niece and that she is married to another man. Her husband had filed a green card application on her behalf in January 2024, but the petition was canceled in April 2025. In May 2025, the CBP Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) observed Wilkinson, the woman, and her daughter together and began an investigation that lasted several months.

CBP OPR investigators discovered that the woman is the daughter of J. Santos Garcia-Moreno, whom Wilkinson had listed as his brother in a 2023 background check. When CBP OPR detained the woman in February 2026, she admitted to living with Wilkinson since August 2024.

Wilkinson, 52, made his initial court appearance and remains in custody ahead of a detention hearing scheduled for Friday. If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in prison and fines up to $250,000.

Wilkinson has served with CBP for nearly 25 years and was promoted to a supervisory position in 2021, a role in which he was responsible for overseeing immigration law enforcement. CBS News has reached out to Wilkinson’s attorney, while CBP has not immediately commented on the case.

Source: CBS NEWS