Border Patrol Agents Find 22 Illegal Aliens Trapped in Trailer

U.S. Border Patrol agents working in the Laredo Sector in South Texas found 22 illegal aliens trapped inside the trailer of an 18-wheeler. The aliens were being smuggled but had no means of escaping the trailer or getting air or water when needed.

The incident occurred on Monday evening at the U.S. Border Patrol Checkpoint on Interstate 35 between Laredo and San Antonio. A K-9 agent assigned to the checkpoint alerted to the presence of either drug or human smuggling in the trailer.

Agents had the driver move the trailer to the secondary inspection area. Agents opened the rear door of the trailer and discovered 22 people who were being smuggled into the U.S. from Mexico and Central America. Some of the trapped immigrants required medical attention for dehydration and heat exposure. Temperatures on Monday were in the high 90s in that area.

“This was a great job by our Border Patrol agents,” said Hector Garza, a Border Patrol agent who spoke with Breitbart Texas in his role as president of National Border Patrol Council, Local 2455. “This is just another example of the dangerous tactics used by the human smuggling organization that are often tied to the drug cartels.”

“These people are senselessly put at risk by our country’s failure to allow Border Patrol agents to secure the border,” Garza continued. “Our agents continue to do an amazing job, even with the limited resources that the Border Patrol has been experiencing over the past several years.”

The immigrants were transported to a Border Patrol station for processing. In this situation, no one was seriously injured or made ill from the elements. That has not always been the case.

“Rescuing these people and providing the required medical attention was the main concern for our Border Patrol agents involved in this life-threatening situation.  We were fortunate that we found them in time before this turned into a tragic situation.  We ask the community to continue to report any suspicious activity,” Chief Patrol Agent Mario Martinez said in a written statement.

Breitbart Texas reported in August about 32 illegal immigrants who were found stuffed in the back of a cold storage container at the same checkpoint.

Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior political news contributor for Breitbart Texas. He is a founding member of the Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX.