LAREDO, Texas — Agents at the north Highway 83 Border Patrol checkpoint rescued 76 undocumented immigrants from a tractor-trailer last week.
Border patrol saw the trailer in the primary lane of the highway on January 26 and approached the driver.
After confronting they driver, the agents decided the truck warranted closer inspection. Once they opened the trailer, they found the immigrants.
All 76 were deemed to be in good health. Their countries of origin ranged from Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatamala.
13 of the immigrants were children. None of them traveled with their parents.
“These criminal organizations view these individuals as mere commodities without regard for their safety," said Laredo Sector Assistant Chief Patrol Agent Gabriel Acosta.
"The blatant disregard for human life will not be tolerated. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to disrupt and dismantle these organizations and prosecute those responsible.”
The driver was a U.S. citizen. He was arrested and the tractor-trailer was seized by Border Patrol.
