In the aftermath of the deadliest migrant smuggling event on the U.S.-Mexico border in American history that took the lives of 53 Mexican and Central American citizens in San Antonio, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/texas">Texas</a>, on Monday, the driver of the semi-truck could face life in prison or the death penalty if convicted.
&#8220;This is a horror that surpasses anything we&#8217;ve experienced before,&#8221; San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said, according to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-mexico-san-antonio-12d7431c008ea0123dfa9c271a27a3ca">the Associated Press</a>. &#8220;And it&#8217;s sadly a preventable tragedy.&#8221;
Authorities said Homero Zamorano Jr. transported 64 illegal immigrants across the southern border and allegedly was &#8220;very high on meth,&#8221; the Daily Mail <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10963683/San-Antonio-migrant-deaths-lead-slow-effort-ID-victims.html?ito=social-twitter_dailymailus">reported</a>. Authorities said Zamorano hid in nearby bushes after attempting to escape.
Zamorano, originally from Brownsville, Texas, lives in Pasadena, Texas, a Houston suburb, authorities said. Six months before the tragedy earlier this week in San Antonio, Zamorano and his now-estranged wife, Jennifer Duncan, separated, the New York Post reported.
&#8220;I&#8217;m in shock,&#8221; Duncan told the <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/06/29/estranged-wife-of-texas-migrant-truck-driver-homero-zamorano-says-he-is-a-good-man/">New York Post</a>. &#8220;I mean, I just don&#8217;t even know what to say about it. I know he wouldn&#8217;t do anything if he knew it was gonna harm anybody.&#8221;
Duncan called Zamorano &#8220;a good man&#8221; who &#8220;goes out of his way to help anybody and everybody.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdtx/pr/53-fatalities-tractor-trailer-smuggling-incident-charges-filed-against-four">Authorities</a> charged three other men who were also found at the scene where a tractor-trailer truck first went through a Border Patrol checkpoint northeast of Laredo on Interstate 35 on Monday.
Authorities arrested Christian Martinez, 28, on Tuesday in Palestine, Texas, and charged him with one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in death. Court documents show through a search warrant on Martinez&#8217;s cell phone that he and Zamorano were in contact regarding the smuggling event. Martinez faces up to life in prison or could face the death penalty if convicted.
Also arrested in the smuggling event were Mexican citizens Juan Claudio D&#8217; Luna-Mendez, 23, and Juan Francisco D&#8217; Luna-Bilbao, 48, who allegedly entered the U.S. illegally and were charged by criminal complaint with one count of possession of a weapon by an illegal immigrant. If convicted, both defendants face up to 10 years in prison.
Homeland Security Investigations and the San Antonio Police Department responded to the human smuggling scene after receiving 911 calls from nearby citizens.
Police said they discovered multiple individuals inside the tractor-trailer and on the ground in nearby brush — many of whom were already dead or incapacitated.
Homeland Security authorities confirmed that 48 individuals at the scene were deceased, including 22 Mexicans, seven Guatemalans, two Hondurans, and 17 other illegal immigrants from an unknown origin.
According to the Associated Press, Rubén Minutti, Mexico&#8217;s consul general in San Antonio, said several survivors were in critical condition with injuries such as brain damage and internal bleeding.
Five illegal immigrants died at a nearby hospital after authorities transported 16 of the 64 illegal immigrants found in or around the semi-truck. With the temperature reaching nearly 100 degrees, some were dealing with heat-related illnesses.
The Associated Press reported San Antonio Fire Chief Charles Hood said those taken to the hospital were hot to the touch and dehydrated without water found in the trailer.
&#8220;They were suffering from heat stroke and exhaustion,&#8221; Hood said. &#8220;It was a refrigerated tractor-trailer, but there was no visible working AC unit on that rig.&#8221;
Hood told <a href="https://www.khou.com/video/news/local/texas/san-antonio-fire-chief-were-not-supposed-to-open-up-a-truck-and-see-stacks-of-bodies/285-775a57ad-5498-4e17-b5b8-56b0ea6f6b4f">KHOU 11</a> on Monday, &#8220;We&#8217;re not supposed to open up a truck and see stacks of bodies.&#8221;
President Joe Biden called the deaths &#8220;horrifying and heartbreaking,&#8221; the Associated Press reported.
&#8220;Exploiting vulnerable individuals for profit is shameful, as is political grandstanding around tragedy, and my administration will continue to do everything possible to stop human smugglers and traffickers from taking advantage of people who are seeking to enter the United States between ports of entry,&#8221; Biden said in a statement.
Craig Larrabee, acting special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in San Antonio, said, according to the Associated Press, South Texas has long been the busiest area for illegal border crossings. He added that U.S. authorities discover trucks with migrants inside &#8220;pretty close&#8221; to daily.
Larrabee said illegal immigrants pay anywhere from $8,000 to $10,000 for transportation across the border. Then, after packing into a tractor-trailer and hitching a ride to San Antonio, he said the smugglers transfer them to smaller vehicles for their final destinations across the United States.

<script async src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script><div data-widget-host="revcontent" data-pub-id="165152" data-widget-id="290588"></div><script src="https://delivery.revcontent.com/165152/290588/widget.js"></script>

Semi-Truck Driver Of Deadliest Migrant Smuggling Event In U.S. History Found ‘High On Meth,’ Faces Death Penalty: Authorities

CONTINUE READING

New Mexico Lawsuit Accuses Meta Platforms Of Enabling Child Sexual Abuse Material, Human Trafficking

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Accused Of Sex Trafficking, Raping Teenage Girl In Fourth Sexual Assault Lawsuit

Mayorkas Confirms FBI Warning, Says Blinking Red Lights Everywhere On Terror Threats

California Retailers Without ‘Gender Neutral’ Section For Kids Face Fines Up To $500 Under New State Law

WATCH: Top University Presidents Balk When Asked If Genocidal Chants Against Jews Violate Codes Of Conduct

Catholic Leaders Slam FBI Over ‘Illegitimate Targeting” Of Catholics As Bureau Defends Its Investigation

News

Border Crisis

Illegal Immigration

San Antonio

Southern Border

Texas

A video goes viral showing a baby being refused his mother by two gay "dads". This is just the tip of the iceberg, which is why we will have an important discussion today about surrogacy. 

Hour 1

The Matt Walsh Show

Ep. 1765 - This Video Is One Of The Worst Things I've Seen In A Long Time 

The Strait of Hormuz officially opens for business (kind of), the Pope makes “shocking” comments on immigration, and President Trump promises UFO disclosure at TPUSA. 


The Michael Knowles Show

Ep. 1956 -  Pope Leo's "SHOCKING" Immigration Comments EXPLAINED

A false miscreed has corrupted our leadership class.


The Andrew Klavan Show

Ep. 1275 - Dumb, Dumber and Progressive

President Trump announces a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, a murder-suicide involving former Democratic Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax shakes Virginia, and France and Britain hold a conference to secure the Strait of Hormuz – after the Iranian conflict ends. Get the facts first with Morning Wire.

- - -

Ep. 2738

- - -

Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3

- - -

Today's Sponsors:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text 'WIRE' to 83848 to learn more.

Pocket Hose - Text MORNING to 64000 to get a FREE pocket pivot and their 10-pattern sprayer with the purchase of ANY size Copper Head hose. Message and data rates may apply.

Morning Wire

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26 [Member Exclusive]

A ceasefire goes into effect between Israel and Lebanon, a tragic murder-suicide rocks Virginia, and Dairy Queen deploys AI in the drive-thru. Get the facts first with Evening Wire.
- - -
Ep. 2737
- - -
Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3 
- - -
Today’s Sponsor:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text “WIRE” to 83848 to learn more.


Evening Wire: Lebanon Ceasefire Begins & Murder-Suicide Rocks VA | 4.16.26

The Pendragon Cycle

Menu

— News —

Semi-Truck Driver Of Deadliest Migrant Smuggling Event In U.S. History Found ‘High On Meth,’ Faces Death Penalty: Authorities