Border Patrol agents in the Laredo and Rio Grande Valley Sectors found nearly 30 migrants in the sleeper and cargo areas of tractor-trailers as they attempted to sneak through inland Border Patrol checkpoints this week.
Falfurrias Station agents assigned to the immigration checkpoint located on U.S. Highway 281 observed a tractor-trailer approaching for inspection on February 12. During an initial walk-around, a K-9 agent alerted to the possible presence of drugs or human cargo in the truck’s trailer. The agents referred the vehicle to a secondary inspection station for further evaluation, according to Rio Grande Valley Sector Border Patrol officials.
During the inspection, agents unlocked the trailer and discovered 10 migrants inside. Agents identified the migrants as coming from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, officials stated.
The agents arrested the driver and seized the tractor-trailer. The migrants will be processed according to Rio Grande Valley Sector guidelines.
A few days earlier, Laredo North Station agents assigned to the Interstate 35 immigration checkpoint observed a tractor-trailer approaching the checkpoint for inspection. During an immigration interview with the driver and front-seat passenger, the agents asked the driver to open the curtain to the truck’s sleeper area. The agents observed several people inside the sleeper area.
Officials stated that the driver and passenger are U.S. citizens. They identified the 19 people packed into the sleeping area as illegal immigrants.
The Laredo Sector Border Patrol officials did not release any information about the nationalities of 19 the illegal immigrants. The driver will be held for referral for possible human smuggling charges.
Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior political news contributor for the Breitbart Border team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX and Facebook.