San Antonio trailer deaths: Driver Homero Zamorano in court as photos show migrant truck at border

Newly released booking photos from the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office show Christian Martinez, one of four people who have been arrested in connection to the San Antonio migrant smuggling deaths.

Mr Martinez 28, was arrested on Tuesday, and officials say phone records indicate he was in contact with alleged driver Mr Zamorano about the smuggling scheme.

Homero Zamorano, who is accused of driving a semi-truck in which 53 smuggled migrants died from heat-related injuries, made his first appearance in federal court on Thursday.

The 45-year-old from Brownsville, Texas, is charged with charged smuggling undocumented migrants resulting in death. He could face a lifetime prison sentence or the death penalty if convicted.

At the hearing, the US Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas, which is prosecuting the case, advised the alleged smuggler of the charges against him. It is unclear whether he has legal representation.

The court appearance comes as new information trickles out about what lead to the horrific deaths, and the individuals responsible.

A failed air condition unit in the tractor-trailer carrying the group of migrants allegedly caused the migrants to die, according to sealed court documents charging Christian Martinez, one of Mr Zamorano’s alleged conspirators, KHOU reports.

You can find more details in my full story here.

After more than 60 migrants were discovered in the back of a truck trailer in San Antonio on Monday, city officials swiftly handed the case over to the federal Department of Homeland Security’s invistigative division, the same agency that oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

That differs from a similar 2017 incident, during which current San Antonio Police Chief insisted, “We are not involving ICE in this investigation.”

In that case, 12 suspected migrants were found in a tractor-trailer and interviewed by SAPD before being released.

Body camera footage shows immigration advocates telling the suspected migrants in Spanish that ICE is not coming to the scene, and to not be afraid about cooperating with the SAPD to catch the driver of the semi-truck.

The decision not to involve ICE led the Texas Attorney General’s office to sue the San Antonio police chief, a case which was settled for $300,000 this year, KSAT reports.

The president, along with many leaders, responded in horror to the deaths of more than 50 migrants in a tractor-trailer in San Antonio.

Here’s what he said.

Homero Zamorano, the alleged driver of the truck found full of dead migrants in San Antonio, made his first court appearance on Thursday.

The US Attorney’s Office has provided the 45-year-old’s charging documents to The Independent.

Here’s the most relevant section, where a Homeland Security Investigations agent describes arresting Mr Zamorano, who could face a death sentence or life in prison if convicted.

The Supreme Court held on Thursday that President Biden can end Donald Trump’s so-called “Remain in Mexico” immigration policy, which sent tens of thousands of asylum seekers to wait on the Mexico side of the border as their claim processed.

The policy helped push would-be migrants towards unauthorised methods of entry.

The Biden administration tried to end the programme on its first day in office, but the states of Texas and Missouri challenged the decision.

More details in our story.

Not long after the discovery of the truck filled with dead migrants was made in Texas, Republicans including Texas governor Greg Abbott pounced and blamed Joe Biden’s border policies for what happened.

Here’s video of Mr Abbott’s response.

And here’s what else the GOP is saying about what happened in San Antonio.

A father named Manuel told KHOU about how he tried to stop his son from migrating to the US, but that the 13-year-old, Wilmer, would not be deterred.

Here’s what he said.

An impromptu memorial has sprung up at the semi-rural location outside of San Antonio where more than 50 migrants were killed while being smuggled into the US in a tractor-trailer.

The displays included flowers, flags, and protest signs.

Artist Roberto Marquez is also painting a mural at the site.

Rubén Minutti, the Consul General of Mexico, visited San Antonio on Thursday to pay his respects to the more than 50 migrants who died while being smuggled into the US in a crammed tractor-trailer.

A number of Mexicans were among the 53 dead.

Mr Minutti laid a wreath at the semi-rural site where the truck full of people was abandoned.

“Consular attention to the relatives of the victims has been offered from the first instants and will continue in each moment,” according to a statement from the Mexican Secretary of Exterior Relations office.