Border Patrol officials have disclosed that Mexican cartels are exploiting an extensive underground storm drain system in El Paso, Texas, to smuggle illegal migrants from Mexico into the United States. The network, described by agents as "a city underneath our city," consists of 32 known entry points from the Rio Grande and hundreds of exit points scattered across elementary schools, parks, backyards, and commercial areas throughout El Paso neighborhoods.

Fox News was granted exclusive access to the tunnels alongside the El Paso Sector’s elite Confined Space Entry Team (CSET). The Border Patrol reported that it takes smugglers and migrants between 45 minutes to an hour to traverse the hot, dark, and tight storm drains, where oxygen levels can fluctuate unpredictably.

Due to increased risks and difficulties in crossing the border illegally, smugglers have significantly raised their fees, charging migrants between $20,000 and $30,000 for passage through these confined spaces.

Border Patrol agents warned of the potential dangers to local communities, stating, "At any point, you can have smugglers or bad guys coming up in your backyard, in your playgrounds, in your kids’ schools." They also noted the presence of technology that helps track movement within the tunnels, including when individuals enter, where they go, and when they exit.

The tunnels have been used for both drug and human trafficking. In one instance, a tunnel discovered between El Paso and Ciudad Juarez was secured by the Mexican National Guard and personnel from the Attorney General's Office, who collected evidence before sealing it permanently.

Brooke Taylor, reporting on the conditions inside the tunnels, highlighted the major dangers posed by the heat, confined space, and air quality.

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