TikTok becomes a tool of choice in cat-and-mouse game between migrant smugglers and authorities

A depiction of a smuggler videoing migrants walking through the desert for later posting on social media based on hundreds of TikTok videos reviewed by the AP. — AP Illustration

MEXICO CITY: The videos roll through TikTok in 30-second flashes.

Migrants trek in camouflage through dry desert terrain. Dune buggies roar up to the United States-Mexico border barrier. Families with young children pass through gaps in the wall. Helicopters, planes, yachts, tunnels and jet skis stand by for potential customers.