The indictment alleges that three migrants died in the tractor-trailer and the fourth sustained serious injuries. Miranda-Orozco faces six charges related to migrant smuggling, with potential life imprisonment if convicted.
On Wednesday, a major enforcement operation led by the Justice Department, in coordination with both domestic and international partners, dismantled a human smuggling network based in Guatemala. This network was responsible for smuggling people into the U.S. in June 2022, which tragically resulted in the deaths of 53 migrants, including 21 Guatemalans, found in a tractor-trailer in San Antonio, Texas.
The operation is part of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), established by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in June 2021, in collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security to combat human smuggling from Central America.
“Over the past two years, the Justice Department has worked methodically to hold accountable those responsible for the horrific tragedy in San Antonio that killed 53 people who had been preyed on by human smugglers,” said Attorney General Garland. “With these arrests, the Justice Department and our partners in Guatemala have now arrested a total of 14 people for their alleged involvement in this tragedy. We are committed to continuing to work with our partners both in the United States and abroad to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling groups operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Colombia, and Panama.”
On August 21, Guatemalan law enforcement, working with U.S. agents, executed multiple search and arrest warrants across Guatemala. Guatemalan national Rigoberto Ramon Miranda-Orozco was arrested at the request of U.S. authorities and has been indicted in the Western District of Texas. Miranda-Orozco, 47, is accused of conspiring with other smugglers to transport four migrants from Guatemala through Mexico to the U.S., charging them $12,000 to $15,000 for the journey.
The indictment alleges that three migrants died in the tractor-trailer and the fourth sustained serious injuries. Miranda-Orozco faces six charges related to migrant smuggling, with potential life imprisonment if convicted. Six other individuals arrested in the operation will face local charges in Guatemala.
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“Smugglers prey on migrants and seek profits with complete disregard for human life, as we saw in this tragic incident that killed 53 people,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “The men and women at Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) work every day to disrupt these sophisticated smuggling networks, and we will continue to work alongside our federal and international partners to dismantle them at every level of operation.”
“In launching Joint Task Force Alpha three years ago, the Department of Justice directed every tool at our disposal to the dismantling of human smuggling networks across the continent. And after the tragic deaths of 53 migrants in June 2022, we pledged to hold accountable those responsible, no matter where they live or operate,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Today’s arrests in Guatemala are a continued fulfillment of that pledge. We will not rest in our efforts to disrupt the smuggling networks that capitalize on desperation and foster misery throughout the Western Hemisphere.”
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, stated, “The indictment alleges that Miranda-Orozco recruited some of the migrants who tragically died in a tractor-trailer near San Antonio, Texas, in June 2022, and collaborated with a network of smugglers to transport them from Guatemala through Mexico into the United States.” She emphasized that this tragedy highlights the severe risks human smugglers impose on migrants for financial gain. “Dismantling these networks is a top priority for the Criminal Division, and we will continue to collaborate with both domestic and international law enforcement to investigate and prosecute these crimes, regardless of where the offenders are located.”
According to court documents, the smuggling organization packed 65 migrants into a tractor-trailer that allegedly had no functioning air conditioning as it traveled north on a Texas interstate. Rising temperatures caused some migrants to lose consciousness while others attempted to escape. By the time the trailer reached San Antonio, 48 migrants were dead, with an additional five dying after being taken to local hospitals. The deceased included six children and a pregnant woman.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas has already charged seven other individuals connected to this smuggling operation, with four having pleaded guilty as of 2022 and 2023.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas, along with Joint Task Force Alpha Co-Directors Ian Hanna and Jim Hepburn, held a press conference to discuss a significant arrest related to the tragic 2022 human smuggling case that resulted in 53 deaths and 11 injuries. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri also contributed to the event.
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