The Department of Homeland Security is buying digital advertisements in Central America that tell people who are thinking about making the journey to the U.S. not to cross illegally. The advertisements are running on mobile devices on social media platforms that are popular with immigrants. 

“We are making it very clear that our border is not open, that crossing irregularly is against the law, and that those who are not eligible for relief will be quickly returned. Do not listen to the lies of the smugglers. This is what will happen to you. You will be returned,” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said.

The advertisements are in Spanish and have short messages like “crossing illegally is a crime.” Others refer to human smugglers.

“The coyote lied to us, entering the U.S. illegally is a crime, say no to the coyote,” the ad stated.  

DHS is using geo-location to target people who are near known migration routes in Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Ecuador and Colombia.  

Anyone who clicks on the ad will be taken to a landing page with more information about the dangers and consequences of crossing illegally, and information about legal pathways they could take to enter America. 

The page, which is in Spanish, states that immigrants who cross illegally can face consequences including deportation and a five-year reentry ban.

Federal, state and local officials dealing with the surge in illegal immigration all shared that human smugglers are spreading disinformation south of the border; sometimes with their own advertisements.

They are telling potential immigrants that the U.S. border is open and that they can cross without the proper paperwork. Officials said that lie is a big reason for the current influx, in addition to the end of Title 42.

This advertising campaign is beginning in conjunction with a new federal rule, which creates a presumption that those who enter the country illegally are ineligible for asylum.

But multiple organizations, including the ACLU, say they will challenge that new rule in court.

“President Biden just ushered in a new period of immense suffering for people already enduring violence and persecution. He has closed off the possibility of asylum in the United States to the majority of people seeking safety – in contradiction with our nation’s laws and values. In doing so, he is finishing Trump’s job rather than fulfilling his own campaign promises,” Jonathan Blazer, director of border strategies at the ACLU, said in a statement.