A Texas man is accused of trying to smuggle more than 100 items Illegal immigrants To the United States in a closed tractor trailer.
Juan Manuel Aguirre, 49, faces a three-count indictment of conspiracy to transport an undocumented alien within the United States and transport an undocumented alien within the United States for financial gain, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office. the Southern District of Texas on monday.
Law enforcement observed Aguirre, a resident of the South Texas city of Laredo, loading a large group of migrants into a white trailer in the warehouse parking lot on December 2. After she left, authorities stopped traffic on the white truck. The trailer was towed and 101 illegal immigrants, including 12 unaccompanied children, were allegedly found crammed inside.
Trucks drive across the World Trade International Bridge in Laredo, Texas on June 10, 2019. (Callahan O'Hare/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
the Ministry of Justice The statement said that two migrants reported experiencing difficulty breathing and feared for their lives due to the conditions in the trailer.
Aguirre faces 10 years in prison on each of the three counts and a fine of up to $250,000.
The number of individuals sentenced for alien smuggling crimes in the United States has risen steadily under the law Biden administrationTo reach 4,731 in fiscal year 2023, according to the latest data from the U.S. Sentencing Commission.
Migrants are arrested near the border wall in New Mexico, April 12, 2024. (Fox News)
The five major human smuggling areas are located along the southern border. Since Texas represents more than 60% of the United States' border with Mexico, the two largest human smuggling areas are located in Texas.
64,124 alien smuggling crime cases were reported in 2023. About 10% of alien smuggling cases involve unaccompanied minors.
In October, Local news source KGNS reported an alarming rise in human smuggling incidents in Laredo, resulting in high-risk vehicle pursuits and other dangerous situations.
These are Trump's three border priorities, Czar Tom Homan | Fox News video
The Rio Grande as seen from Laredo, Texas, September 19, 2020. (Reuters/Veronica J. Cardenas)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Earlier this month, Texas Governor Greg Abbott Launched new Billboard advertising campaign in Mexico and Central America to warn potential illegal immigrants of the dangers of trying to cross into the United States illegally.
“We are here to reveal the truth to the migrants who are thinking about coming here, and the truth about the traffickers who prey on so many women and children along the way,” the governor said. “The message is: Don't risk a dangerous journey to be arrested and deported.”
