A truck driver is facing charges after federal authorities say he attempted to smuggle 33 migrants into the United States via a trailer through the Arizona desert.
President Trump commented on the precarious event: “Democrats must change the Loophole & Asylum Laws - but they probably won’t! They want Open Borders, which means massive crime and drugs!”
It was tremendously hot inside the trailer―nearly 100 degrees F, posing imminent danger to the occupants, who had no way to exit, since the doors were locked.
Perhaps even more unbelievable is the fact that although there was a refrigeration unit in the trailer, the driver had it turned off.
The White House Twitter account shared the story along with an X-Ray photo.
“Last night, 12 children, a pregnant woman, a convicted felon, & 19 illegal aliens were found locked in a produce truck at a checkpoint. The driver, charged with human smuggling, kept the refrigeration off, so they were trapped inside where it was over 97 degrees with no way out.” The White House wrote on Twitter, and at the same time, praised and gave thanks to the Border Patrol agents who caught them.
“THANK YOU to our heroic Border Patrol agents, whose vigilance caught this smuggler and potentially saved lives!” read the post.
CPB said the driver, a 37-year-old Mexican national, was arrested on July 2.
The 33 people were taken into custody by Border Patrol and will be processed for immigration violations.
The CBP news release also mentioned a new initiative to reduce the deaths caused by human smuggling in commercial vehicles.
“In an effort to prevent fatalities at the hands of smugglers, Department of Homeland Security has recently launched “Operation Safeguard” to educate the public and the trucking industry on the life-threatening dangers involved in using commercial conveyances to smuggle humans.” said the CPB.
On July 3, President Donald Trump retweeted a post by the CBP South Texas, indicating that they seized $4.1 million worth of methamphetamine and cocaine at Laredo Port of Entry.
“CBP officers seized alleged cocaine and crystal methamphetamine worth more than $4 million in Texas last weekend,” reads The White House statement. “The drug seizures came as part of two operations at the Gateway to the Americas International Bridge that connects Mexico and America.”
