U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents conducted a dramatic rescue operation in Cotulla, Texas, on Tuesday morning, freeing 23 migrants who were discovered locked inside a stifling train compartment amidst temperatures nearing 100 degrees Fahrenheit, as reported by United Press International (UPI).
The incident unfolded when agents from the Laredo Sector, stationed approximately 70 miles from the Texas-Mexico border, were performing routine checks on train cars passing through the area. Upon inspecting a particular compartment, they were startled to find the migrants trapped inside, with no apparent means of escape from the intense heat.
Recognizing the urgency of the situation, Border Patrol agents deployed additional tools to forcibly open the compartment, describing the conditions inside as life-threatening. Jesse Munoz, Chief of the Laredo Sector, condemned the incident as a clear example of human smuggling operations that prioritize financial gain over the well-being of vulnerable individuals.
In response to the rescue, Munoz reiterated CBP’s firm stance on illegal immigration, stating unequivocally, “CBP’s message for anyone considering unlawful entry into the United States is simple: Don’t do it.”
The rescued migrants, hailing primarily from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, were immediately provided with medical attention and other necessary assistance before undergoing processing to determine their immigration status.
CBP officials underscored the dangers associated with illegal border crossings, emphasizing that smugglers often deceive migrants about the safety and legality of entering the United States irregularly.
This incident evokes haunting memories of a similar tragedy in 2002, when 11 undocumented migrants perished inside a grain hopper rail car that had been abandoned for months on a rail siding, discovered only during routine maintenance by a rail car cleaning crew.