Texas lawmakers are speaking out against a human trafficking incident this weekend in which at least nine people died and dozens more were injured. The…
Texas lawmakers are speaking out against a human trafficking incident this weekend in which at least nine people died and dozens more were injured. The people were found in the parking lot of a Walmart in San Antonio, Texas, on Sunday after being left in a semitrailer without water or air conditioning in the sweltering heat.
Rep. Will Hurd (R-Texas) called the news of the deaths and injuries “sickening.”
ADVERTISEMENT “The human trafficking tragedy in my hometown is sickening and demonstrates kingping smugglers’ blatant disregard for human life, ” Hurd said in a statement . ”My thoughts and prayers are with the families of those put in this horrific situation.”
San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said Sunday at a press conference that the incident involving the 38 people, including two “school-age” children, is being investigated as “a human-trafficking crime.”
A Walmart employee first alerted the police after someone from the truck asked for water, McManus said.
Hurd pointed to the incident as a further reason why the U. S. needs “a Smart Wall on our southern border that utilizes radar, technology and surveillance tools to detect illegal entrants and track them until border patrol agents can arrive.”
Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) called the news “tragic” and said the individuals running the human trafficking ring should be “prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“These deaths are tragic and avoidable, ” Castro said in a statement . “The smugglers are responsible for the incident, who showed no regard for the lives of the people they were transporting, should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Another Democratic lawmaker, Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) , called it a “horrific scene.”
“Horrific scene overnight in San Antonio where a human smuggling attempt turned deadly. Prosecute smugglers, pray for survivors and the victims’ families, stop the hysteria, reform our broken immigration system, ” Doggett said in a statement.
Authorities have arrested the driver of the tractor-trailer, who could be facing both state and federal charges, ABC News reported.
Eight individuals were initially found dead on the scene and another individual died later on, while others were suffering from heat stroke and dehydration.
