Causes.com
| 6.29.22

At Least 53 Migrants Dead After Being Found in an Abandoned Semi-Truck Near San Antonio

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UPDATED - 6/29/22

  • As of Wednesday night, the death toll has risen by two to 53 people believed to be unauthorized immigrants who died of heat-related illnesses after being found in the back of a semi-truck Monday night.
  • The medical examiner's office announced that 40 of the deceased are men and 13 are women, and 37 have been potentially identified according to MYSA.
  • Federal authorities made three arrests on Tuesday, with one man facing human smuggling charges and two others arrested on suspicion of possessing firearms while in the U.S. illegally per the San Antonio Express-News.

UPDATED - 6/28/22

  • As of Tuesday night, the death toll has risen to 51 people believed to be unauthorized immigrants who succumbed to heat-related illnesses after being smuggled in the back of a semi-truck near San Antonio.
  • Based on the figures released Monday night and the death toll as it stands Tuesday night, that would leave 11 people hospitalized.
  • A local district commissioner said that of the 51 dead, 39 are men, 12 are women, and 34 have been potentially identified. A spokesman said some of those who died may be under the age of 18. Officials are still working to identify the bodies, but of the immigrants who died, 22 were from Mexico, seven from Guatemala, and two from Honduras

The original article appears below.

What’s the story?

  • At least 46 people believed to be unauthorized immigrants were found dead inside of and around an abandoned tractor-trailer in a remote area near San Antonio, Texas, on Tuesday. Authorities believe they were brought into the country illegally by a human smuggling operation. Sixteen people, including 12 adults and four minors, were rescued and taken to the hospital.
  • The San Antonio Police received a call after a person working nearby heard a cry for help and saw bodies with the trailer doors partially open, KSAT News reported. Fire department crews arrived and found “stacks of bodies” in the trailer and many people too weak to let themselves out. Some were found on the ground in the blocks around the site as if they tried to jump out of the semi-truck. Others were reportedly sprinkled with meat seasoning to conceal their scent while being transported by the smugglers.
  • Chief Charles Hood of the San Antonio Fire Dept. said the tractor-trailer victims suffered from heat stroke and heat exhaustion. While the trailer was refrigerated, it wasn't functioning, and the trailer compartment had no air conditioning and no water. He said he was hopeful that the victims taken to the hospital would survive. 
  • Police Chief William McManus said that three people are in custody, although it’s unclear whether they’re connected to the smuggling operation. He added that the Dept. of Homeland Security is working with local, state, and federal authorities to investigate the deaths.
  • The AP reported that it “may be the deadliest tragedy among thousands who have died attempting to cross the U.S. border from Mexico in recent decades.” It would be the most migrant deaths in a single incident since 19 died in a truck near San Antonio in 2003.
  • The tragedy comes as illegal immigration at the Southern border is at record levels. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) apprehended a record number of unauthorized immigrants in fiscal year 2021 that is on pace to be surpassed in fiscal year 2022. 

What they’re saying

“These deaths are on Biden. They are a result of his open border policies. They show the deadly consequences of his refusal to enforce the law.”
  • Former congressman Beto O’Rourke (D-TX), who ran for president in 2020 and is currently running for governor, tweeted:
“This is devastating. Our thoughts go out to the families of those who lost their lives in San Antonio today. We need urgent action ― dismantle human smuggling rings and replace them with expanded avenues for legal migration that reflect our values and meet our country’s needs.”
"Far too many lives have been lost as individuals – including families, women, and children – take this dangerous journey."

This is a developing news story and may be updated.


— Eric Revell

(Photo Credit: iStock.com / ollo)