A supervisor with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has been arrested and charged with harboring an illegal alien, according to a statement from U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Andres Wilkinson, 52, appeared before a magistrate judge and will remain in custody until a detention hearing.
Wilkinson joined CBP in 2001 and became a supervisor in 2021, where he was responsible for overseeing customs and immigration law enforcement. According to the criminal complaint, authorities discovered that an undocumented individual was living at Wilkinson’s home. The complaint alleges Wilkinson knew about her immigration status and maintained a romantic relationship with her.
Court records state that the woman entered the United States on a nonimmigrant visa in August 2023 but overstayed her authorized period of stay. Surveillance conducted between June and November 2025 allegedly showed the woman residing at Wilkinson’s residence along with her minor child. Investigators also reported seeing her use vehicles registered to Wilkinson.
In February 2026, investigators interviewed the woman, who reportedly said she had lived with Wilkinson since August 2024. The complaint further alleges that Wilkinson provided financial support such as housing, credit cards, help with financial obligations, and access to his vehicle. He is also accused of knowingly transporting her through U.S. Border Patrol checkpoints.
The complaint additionally states that Wilkinson traveled with the woman to San Antonio and that messages indicated she and her child were living with him.
If convicted, Wilkinson could face up to ten years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
The investigation was led by CBP's Office of Professional Responsibility in Laredo. Assistant U.S. Attorney Manuel Cardenas is prosecuting the case.
"This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime," according to officials.
Authorities remind that "a complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law."
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas operates under the Department of Justice and serves under the Attorney General. The office has locations across Houston, Galveston, Corpus Christi, Laredo, McAllen and Brownsville and employs more than 200 attorneys covering over nine million people across 43 counties in both criminal prosecutions and civil cases. Past leaders have included Alamdar Hamdani (2022–2025) and Ryan Patrick among others.
