ICE Investigating 55 People, Including Teens, Found Inside Confiscated 18-Wheeler In Texas

A vehicle carrying 55 people was stopped in San Antonio, Texas, on Tuesday night, by the police.

Although the origins or the destination of the occupants of the 18-wheeler are unknown, United States Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrived at the scene in unmarked cars to investigate the vehicle. The San Antonio Fire Department (SAFD) was also called to the scene to assist with the rescue, CBS News reported.

The driver of the vehicle was arrested. According to the details released regarding the ongoing investigation, the vehicle in which the people were being transported was air-conditioned and was equipped with water but not feed, leaving many of the people hungry.

SAFD Chief Charles Hood clarified the situation Tuesday was not handled how a similar instance was dealt with a year ago when a number of smuggling victims died after being discovered in a trailer in Texas.

"This was a totally different situation from the last time we had this,” he assured. "This is not like last time, when we had a bunch of body bags. There are agents at the hospitals talking with people. We are compassionate and providing good care. Each person has been medically screened."

Five of the 55 people were transported to a nearby hospital, but the nature of their condition was not revealed. Also, an unspecified number of people were treated by the Emergency Medical Services personnel for minor injuries. According to officials, the injuries were sustained when the people were getting out of the vehicle and not inflicted prior to that.

Barring the people who were admitted to the hospital, the rest were taken to a detention center. A number of them were teenagers.

A representative from the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES) was also present at the scene to advocate for the peoples' right to legal counsel.

"We help people seek asylum," said Jenny Hixon, RAICES Director of Education and Outreach. "We need to be humanitarian. We need to do something that is consistent with our values. We must show dignity and respect. We don’t know where they are going. There are lots of detention centers around South Texas."

The incident comes days after a photo showing 37 people accused of illegally entering the U.S., shackled at the hands and feet, being processed at once, at the Lucius D. Bunton Federal Courthouse in Pecos, Texas, was leaked to the media.

Debbie Nathan, a journalist in Texas covering the U.S.-Mexico border, who was the first person to be sent the photo, said mass persecutions like that were a common sight in magistrate courts in the Texas cities of Brownsville, Laredo, and El Paso, especially since “Operation Streamline” – a system in which 70 illegal immigration cases can be charged and sentenced at once – came into force in 2005.

Apart from that, President Donald Trump’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy makes it mandatory even for people crossing the border to flee violence to get persecuted.