U.S. Border Patrol agents prevented a human smuggling attempt and rescued several illegal immigrants locked in a cold trailer at the Interstate 35 Border Patrol checkpoint north of Laredo, Texas.
The incident occurred at approximately 12:30 a.m. on December 11, 2019 when a black tractor-trailer approached the primary inspection lane of the checkpoint. During immigration inspection of the driver, agents allegedly received consent from the driver for a non-intrusive scan of the vehicle.
The scan revealed several individuals hidden in the trailer. Agents opened the sealed trailer and discovered 27 individuals concealed inside with no means to escape. The cold trailer had an interior temperature of 30 degrees Fahrenheit. The individuals, 22 males and 5 females, were in the United States illegally.
They were from the countries of Guatemala, Ecuador, and Mexico.
The illegal immigrants were all determined to be in good health and taken into custody along with the driver, a U.S. Citizen, to be processed accordingly.
