Migrant Smuggling on Trains Increases near Border in Texas

Border Patrol agents in West Texas report increasing numbers of incidents involving the use of trains for human smuggling.

Del Rio Sector Chief Patrol Agent Jason D. Owens tweeted a report that 40 migrants were apprehended by Uvalde agents after being loaded onto trains. These apprehensions took place in a 48-hour period over the weekend.

In 48 hours, nearly 40 migrants were encountered by our Uvalde agents assigned to train operations…again, locked inside auto racks in frigid temperatures, with no way to escape.

Not a trend we want to see continued…

Read more here: https://t.co/aSS8GdYLXV pic.twitter.com/ZTBSGQjzFg

— Chief Patrol Agent Jason D. Owens (@USBPChiefDRT) March 1, 2022

In one incident on February 28, Uvalde Station agents found a group of 25 migrants in a car hauler, Del Rio Sector officials reported. The migrants attempted to conceal themselves in the vehicles. Agents identified the migrants as citizens of El Salvador, Honduras, and Mexico. Officials noted the temperature at the time was 31 degrees.

In two other incidents on Friday and Saturday, Uvalde Station agents found 12 more migrants in car haulers after K-9 teams alerted to their presence. The migrants were locked inside the rail car with no means of escape, officials stated.

These migrants were also from El Salvador, Honduras, and Mexico. Temperatures on both days was reported as 40 degrees.

Elsewhere in the sector, a traffic stop by a law enforcement partner led to the apprehension of a group of migrants being smuggled in a vehicle. During processing, agents identified one of the migrants as a previously convicted child sex offender.

Chief Owens reported the migrant has a conviction from an Indiana court for child molesting.