El Paso Sector Border Patrol agents found a group of migrants locked inside a tractor-trailer near Las Cruces, New Mexico, last week. The locked trailer contained 69 migrants who had no means of escape.
Las Cruces Station Border Patrol agents assigned to a New Mexico immigration checkpoint in the early hours of September 30 observed a white tractor-trailer approaching for inspection. During the initial inspection, the agents became suspicious due to the nervous nature and inconsistent stories coming from the driver. The agents referred the driver to a secondary inspection station, according to information obtained from El Paso Sector Border Patrol officials.
SMUGGLED IN TRAILER! #LasCruces #USBP #Agents rescued 69 migrants packed inside a locked trailer! Smugglers continue to place human lives at risk. Great job stopping a smuggling scheme that could’ve ended in tragedy! @cbp @HSIElPaso pic.twitter.com/rM1rZ4FGVz
— Gloria I. Chavez (@USBPChiefEPT) October 1, 2021
During a secondary inspection, the agents conducted a physical search of the vehicle and found 69 migrants locked inside. After an immigration interview, the agents determined the migrants to be eligible for expulsion under Title 42 coronavirus protection protocols put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
During the inspection, the agents also found more than $11,000 inside the trailer.
“These type of nefarious acts by Transnational Criminal Organizations operating in the El Paso region prove once again the complete disregard for the lives of migrants,” El Paso Sector Chief Patrol Agent Gloria I. Chavez said in a written statement. “I am extremely proud of the extraordinary work done by our Las Cruces agents and our HSI partners. Our agents’ joint response prevented a horrific tragedy from occurring.”
“Transnational Criminal Organizations continue to recklessly endanger and exploit large groups of migrants for profit,” El Paso Sector officials stated. “This failed smuggling attempt is an alarming and continuous trend seen in the El Paso Sector.”
This is the second interdiction of migrants being smuggled in tractor-trailers in this sector in recent weeks. On September 17, Border Patrol agents and Homeland Security Investigations special agents found 131 migrants locked inside a tractor-trailer near Anthony, New Mexico, officials reported.
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 Face
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