Migrants Smuggled in Trucks, RV in Most Remote Southern Border Sector

Big Bend Sector Border Patrol agents continue to find human smugglers packing migrants into dangerously overloaded vehicles that are ripe for the spread of COVID-19. The Big Bend Sector covers some of the most remote areas of the southwestern border including 517 border miles, 77 Texas counties, and the entire state of Oklahoma.

Big Bend Sector Chief Patrol Agent Sean McGoffin tweeted pictures showing multiple disrupted human smuggling incidents where the smugglers put the migrants’ lives at risk in dangerous conditions. The smugglers packed the migrants into overloaded pickup trucks and a small motorhome.

Van Horn Station Border Patrol agents stopped a pickup truck with 12 migrants packed into the bed of the truck. Agents assigned to the Sanderson Station stopped another smuggling attempt where 23 migrants were packed inside a Class C motorhome.

McGoffin reported that one person arrested in these incidents has an outstanding arrest warrant. The subject is wanted for homicide in Harris County, Texas.

El Centro Sector Chief Patrol Agent Gregory Bovino retweeted McGoffin’s post and added that “The tight confines of this RV are ripe for the spread of COVID, while 12 in the back of a pickup could spell disaster during an accident.”

Earlier this month, Big Bend Sector agents assigned to the Sierra Blanca Station and Texas Department of Public Safety troopers found 74 migrants packed inside two fifth-wheel travel trailers, Breitbart Texas reported.

“The coordination and collaboration between the agents and Texas Department of Public Safety resulted in multiple migrants being rescued from a very dangerous situation,” Chief McGoffin said at the time. “Transnational criminal organizations recruit United States Citizens to facilitate their smuggling schemes, they continue to place lives in danger with little regard for their safety and well-being.”

During the month of June, Big Bend Sector agents apprehended a total of 4,554 migrants. This represents an increase of 590 percent over the previous June’s total of 600 apprehensions. So far this year, this sector’s agents apprehended 29,852 migrants — a 504 percent increase over the same period in FY2020 when agents apprehended only 5,358 migrants.