Child Migrant Found Locked in Train Cargo in Texas near Border

Laredo Sector Border Patrol agents continue to find migrants being smuggled dangerously inside grain hopper rail cars. On July 13, agents found a group that included an unaccompanied child.

Cotulla Station Border Patrol agents conducted rail car checks at a train inspection station on July 13. The inspection took place south of Cotulla, Texas, on near Interstate 35 about 70 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico Border.

During the inspection, the agents and Texas Department of Public Safety troopers found a group of 17 migrants locked inside the grain hopper, according to information obtained from Laredo Sector Border Patrol officials.

Agents conducted immigration and welfare checks on the migrants from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico. They identified one of the migrants as a “non-citizen unaccompanied child,” officials reported. Agents separated the child from the group for safety reasons.

The welfare check cleared all of the migrants medically and the agents transported them for processing.

“This dangerous method of traveling further into the United States after illegal entry is strongly discouraged as it often results in serious injury or death,” Laredo Sector officials said in a written statement. “Many times, undocumented individuals choose this grueling method of transportation without realizing the consequences of their actions until it is too late.  Fortunately, in this case, agents detected the individuals and were able to apprehend them before any fell victim to a heat-related injury.”

In June, agents in the Laredo and Del Rio sectors found other groups of migrants locked in grain hoppers.