Laredo Sector Border Patrol agents apprehended 40 migrants who were locked inside a trailer after they entered the U.S. The agents found the migrants at the Interstate 35 Immigration Checkpoint in South Texas.
Agents assigned to the Laredo North Station on March 30 observed a blue tractor hauling a white trailer approaching the interior immigration checkpoint for inspection. During an initial screening, a K-9 detection agent alerted to an odor coming from the trailer that it is trained to detect, according to information obtained from Laredo Sector Border Patrol officials.
The agents referred the driver to a secondary inspection station. However, the driver failed to stop and drove away from the checkpoint leading agents on a pursuit. The agents stopped the driver a short time later, officials stated.
The agents arrested the driver, a U.S. citizen, for failing to stop as directed.
A physical inspection of the trailer resulted in the discovery of 40 illegal immigrants including one juvenile. The agents conducted immigration interviews with the subjects and identified them as having traveled to the U.S. from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico.
It is likely the migrants were held in cartel-connected stash houses during their journey. Smugglers typically pack migrants into crowded rooms without regard to sanitary concerns.
Agents arrested all involved and turned them over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations for further handling and possible prosecution for human smuggling and immigration violations.
Under Coronavirus protection protocols put in place on March 20, the migrants are likely to be returned to Mexico.
Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior news contributor for the Breitbart Texas-Border team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday-morning talk show. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX and Facebook.