Texas Department of Public Safety (TDPS) officials on Friday discovered 23 illegal immigrants allegedly hiding inside a flatbed trailer, according to video footage.
During an Operation Lone Star traffic stop in La Salle County at approximately 9 a.m., the driver of a “white truck tractor pulling a flatbed trailer” struck a commercial vehicle on IH 35, Southern Regional TDPS spokesperson Sgt. It is believed that the vehicle did not stop for a safety inspection. Chris Olivares said in his post. (Related: 54 convicted sex offenders arrested after entering the U.S. illegally in the past six months, authorities admit)
After a short pursuit, the driver “came to a stop one mile north of the La Salle County Rest Area” and was seen on body camera footage fleeing the vehicle on foot. Footage posted on Twitter shows officers inspecting the trailer after the two migrants were inside and telling them there were other people inside who needed help.
The footage then shows TDPS officers using a crowbar to pull up a wooden plank from the trailer, revealing multiple migrants wedged inside the flatbed.
#new: @TxDPS Recovered 23 illegal
Migrants hide in flatbed trailer during riot #Operation Lone Star Traffic stop in La Salle County.After 9 a.m. on April 12, 2024, the driver of a white truck tractor pulling a flatbed trailer.
IH35 could not stop due to DPS… pic.twitter.com/xMEnGph4Qq— Chris Olivarez (@LtChrisOlivarez) April 12, 2024
Of the 23 illegal immigrants, 15 men, six women and two boys reportedly came from Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala, Olivares said. A TDPS spokesperson confirmed that one undocumented immigrant was captured and taken to a local hospital where he was treated for dehydration.
Officials said an outstanding warrant was issued for the truck driver and the investigation was ongoing.
As the border crisis affects many states across the country, Texas has been dealing with an onslaught of encounters with illegal immigrants. In late March, a video went viral showing the moment a group of illegal immigrants overwhelmed the National Guard near El Paso, Texas.
Several people were taken into custody after the incident, but Texas Magistrate Judge Humberto Acosta ordered the immigrants’ release shortly after, arguing that the El Paso District Attorney’s Office was not ready to proceed with a detention hearing.
