Texas man accused of trying to smuggle more than 100 illegal immigration Entering the United States in a locked trailer.

Juan Manuel Aguirre, 49, faces three charges of conspiring to transport an undocumented alien within the United States, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. and transporting an undocumented alien within the United States for financial gain. this Southern District of Texas on Monday.

On December 2, law enforcement discovered Aguirre, a resident of the South Texas city of Laredo, loading a large group of immigrants into a white trailer in a warehouse parking lot. After the tow truck left, authorities conducted a traffic stop on the white truck. The trailer was towed and allegedly found packed with 101 undocumented immigrants, including 12 unaccompanied children.

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Trucks drive across the World Trade Center International Bridge in Laredo, Texas, on June 10, 2019. (Callaghan O’Hare/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

this Ministry of Justice Two of the migrants reported having trouble breathing and fearing for their lives due to conditions inside the trailer, the statement said.

Aguirre faces 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on each of the three counts.

The number of people sentenced for alien smuggling crimes in the United States is rising steadily Biden administrationBy fiscal year 2023, that number will reach 4,731, according to the latest data from the U.S. Sentencing Commission.

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Migrants are arrested near the border wall in New Mexico on April 12, 2024. (Fox News)

The five top areas for human smuggling are all along the southern border. Since Texas accounts for more than 60% of the U.S.-Mexico border area, the top two areas for human smuggling are both in Texas.

In 2023, a total of 64,124 criminal cases of alien smuggling were reported. About 10% of foreign smuggling cases involve unaccompanied minors.

October, Local News Source KGNS An increase in human smuggling incidents has been reported in Laredo, leading to high-stakes vehicle pursuits and other dangerous situations.

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The Rio Grande River is seen from Laredo, Texas on September 19, 2020. (Reuters/Veronica G. Cardenas)

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At the beginning of this month, Texas Governor Greg Abbott launched new billboard advertising campaign In Mexico and Central America, potential illegal immigrants are warned of the dangers of trying to enter the United States illegally.

“We are here to expose the truth to migrants who are considering coming here, and to expose the truth about the many women and children that traffickers are targeting along the way,” the governor said. “The message is: Don’t risk a dangerous trip just to get arrested. and deportation.”