The Border Patrol (CBP) said on Monday it had rescued 59 undocumented immigrants in the first two weeks of the month when they were brought into dangerous locations.
Forty-eight of those allegedly rescued immigrants were caught inside a refrigerated container.
The fact, according to Border Patrol, occurred last day 2 on Interstate 35 in Texas during the inspection of the refrigerated container. The 48 immigrants were nationals of Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala.
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The driver of the truck carrying the container was a US citizen and was arrested. According to ICE, these immigrants were in danger because of the low temperatures inside the container and because it could not be opened from the inside.
Another 6 immigrants were rescued on the 5th of the interior of two wooden cabinets. The incident occurred on the 5th of this month, also during an inspection at an immigration checkpoint on Highway 35.
In this case, the vehicle was a van . Border Patrol said the lockers were locked with the six immigrants inside.
Also in this case the immigrants were nationals of Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala and the driver was a citizen of the United States who ended up arrested.
The third case deals with five nationals from El Salvador and Guatemala who were rescued from two wooden boxes where they had been hidden.
The incident occurred, according to Border Patrol, on the 8th of this month at an immigration checkpoint on Highway 83, also in Texas, during the inspection of another van.
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In this case, the driver was also a US citizen who ended up under arrest.
In all three cases, Border Patrol dogs warned of the possible presence of humans in the cargo portion of the three vehicles, the agency added.
“The contempt for human life and the inhuman conditions to which these people were subjected demonstrates how insensitive and cruel these smugglers can be,”
said agent Gabriel Acosta, an assistant to Border Patrol officer in Laredo, Texas.