Video footage reveals that on Friday, Texas Department of Public Safety (TDPS) officials made a startling discovery of 23 illegal migrants who were allegedly hidden inside a flatbed trailer. The incident occurred during an Operation Lone Star traffic stop in La Salle county at approximately 9 a.m. According to TDPS spokesperson Chris Olivarez, the driver of a “white-truck tractor towing a flatbed trailer” failed to comply with a commercial vehicle safety inspection for officials on IH35. After a brief pursuit, the driver eventually stopped one mile north of the La Salle County Rest Area and attempted to flee on foot, as captured in bodycam footage.
Subsequently, officers inspected the trailer, prompted by two immigrants who informed them about the presence of additional individuals seeking assistance. In the video, a TDPS agent is seen using a crowbar to remove wooden planks that had been placed on the trailer, ultimately revealing multiple immigrants tightly packed inside the flatbed.
#NEW: @TxDPS recovered 23 illegal
immigrants concealed inside a flatbed trailer during an #OperationLoneStar traffic stop in La Salle County.On April 12, 2024, just after 9:00 A.M., the driver of a white-truck tractor towing a flatbed trailer
on IH35 failed to stop for a DPS… pic.twitter.com/xMEnGph4Qq— Chris Olivarez (@LtChrisOlivarez) April 12, 2024
Olivarez reported that among the group of 23 individuals who entered the country illegally, there were 15 males, six females, and two juveniles. These individuals were said to be from Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala. Following their apprehension, one of the illegal immigrants received medical treatment for dehydration and was subsequently transported to a local hospital, as confirmed by the spokesperson for the Texas Department of Public Safety (TDPS).
Authorities have stated that the investigation is still ongoing, and a warrant has been issued for the truck driver involved in this incident. The state of Texas has been significantly impacted by the border crisis, experiencing a high number of encounters with illegal immigration. In late March, a video capturing the moment when a group of illegal immigrants overwhelmed National Guard members near El Paso, Texas went viral on the internet.
Although some individuals were taken into custody following the incident, Judge Humberto Acosta, a Texas Magistrate, ordered the release of the migrants shortly after. He cited the El Paso District Attorney’s Office’s lack of readiness to proceed with detention hearings as the reason for this decision.