TUCSON — Two U.S. citizens were caught and charged for allegedly trying to smuggle 32 migrants across the United States border near Tucson in a refrigerated semi-trailer.
According to a press statement from the U.S. Border Patrol’s Tucson Sector, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the semi-trailer was sent to a secondary inspection post after a K9 alerted officials.
An X-Ray image of the trailer was taken, "showing numerous people locked in the rear of the trailer," CBP wrote.
When agents opened the trailer, they discovered 32 migrants "illegally present in the United States."
A tweet from the White House revealed the migrants were transported in a refrigerated trailer that was 47 degrees inside.
"The individuals were also ill prepared to be in 47 degree refrigerated trailer as most were wearing short sleeve t-shirts," CBP wrote.
The two American citizens who allegedly transported the migrants are facing federal charges for attempting human smuggling.
Two men face federal charges for locking 32 people in a refrigerated semi-trailer in a human smuggling attempt at the I-19 #TucsonSector Border Patrol immigration checkpoint. https://t.co/4uAdm1gChG
— CBP Arizona (@CBPArizona) October 16, 2019
