INSIDER
Texas DPS trooper discovers two migrants hidden in gas tank
Read full article: Texas DPS trooper discovers two migrants hidden in gas tankTwo migrants were found by a Texas trooper last week inside a gas tank along the southwestern Texas border, according to a Texas Department of Public Safety spokesperson.
Federal jury finds man guilty of three human smuggling-related crimes
Read full article: Federal jury finds man guilty of three human smuggling-related crimesA La Pryor man has been convicted on three counts of human-smuggling-related crimes for his involvement in a March 2022 operation, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas.
Hispanic Heritage Month: Colombian migrants bring new flavor to Alamo City
Read full article: Hispanic Heritage Month: Colombian migrants bring new flavor to Alamo CityColombian food is a must-try for foodies in the Alamo City. Whatever you decide to order, try it with Aji sauce. See how a former journalist is spreading the culture.
Feds announce arrest of alleged leader of fatal 2022 human smuggling case in San Antonio
Read full article: Feds announce arrest of alleged leader of fatal 2022 human smuggling case in San AntonioFederal officials on Thursday announced the indictment of a Guatemalan national who they say helped coordinate a human smuggling effort that ended with 53 migrants dead and 11 injured in a sweltering tractor-trailer in San Antonio.
Advocates focus on humanity one year after 12 migrants were found in semitruck in Bexar County
Read full article: Advocates focus on humanity one year after 12 migrants were found in semitruck in Bexar CountyFriday marks one year since 12 migrants were found in a semitruck off Interstate 35 near Von Ormy in southwest Bexar County.
‘I think it’s an impediment’: Chief Patrol Agent of Del Rio sector discusses Border Patrol’s relationship with DPS
Read full article: ‘I think it’s an impediment’: Chief Patrol Agent of Del Rio sector discusses Border Patrol’s relationship with DPSFor dozens of miles, Border Patrol agents travel up and down along the Rio Grande.
Border Patrol’s Del Rio sector chief speaks with KSAT about slowing migrant crossings, relationship with Texas DPS
Read full article: Border Patrol’s Del Rio sector chief speaks with KSAT about slowing migrant crossings, relationship with Texas DPSIn a wide-ranging exclusive sit-down interview with KSAT, Chief Patrol Agent Robert Danley shares insight into his nearly seven months on the job, including how and why migrant crossings have changed, how laws impact the work done by agents, and Border Patrol’s relationship with Texas DPS.
‘It makes me really sad’: Professor says buoys in Rio Grande have created significant ecological impact
Read full article: ‘It makes me really sad’: Professor says buoys in Rio Grande have created significant ecological impactOne year after Texas began installing buoys in Eagle Pass, a professor says the floating barrier has created a significant ecological impact on the Rio Grande.
Some migrants flown to Martha’s Vineyard from San Antonio to get legal status, multiple reports say
Read full article: Some migrants flown to Martha’s Vineyard from San Antonio to get legal status, multiple reports saySome of the 49 migrants who were flown to Martha’s Vineyard from San Antonio in 2022 can legally work in the US and can’t be deported because they are considered crime victims, according to multiple reports.
Feds to provide $18 million to agencies providing migrant services in San Antonio, Bexar County
Read full article: Feds to provide $18 million to agencies providing migrant services in San Antonio, Bexar CountyThe federal government will distribute $18 million in grants to five agencies that are providing services to migrants.
Man sentenced to 16 years in federal prison for fatal migrant smuggling attempt in Medina County
Read full article: Man sentenced to 16 years in federal prison for fatal migrant smuggling attempt in Medina CountyA man who led Medina County sheriff’s deputies on a fatal high-speed chase while transporting a group of migrants was sentenced Thursday to 16 years in federal prison.
Migrants with disabilities struggle to access the U.S. asylum system, advocates say
Read full article: Migrants with disabilities struggle to access the U.S. asylum system, advocates sayMigrants with disabilities can’t access the asylum system the way others can, according to a complaint that advocacy organizations filed against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security earlier this week.
What Bexar County, other South Texas law enforcement agencies are saying about Senate Bill 4
Read full article: What Bexar County, other South Texas law enforcement agencies are saying about Senate Bill 4Texas has faced skeptical questioning at an appeals court hearing over a new law that would allow it to arrest and deport people who enter the U.S. illegally.
The path to staying in the U.S. legally is getting more costly for migrants
Read full article: The path to staying in the U.S. legally is getting more costly for migrantsIt's going to cost migrants in the U.S. more to stay in the country legally starting in April. The U.S. Citizenship Immigration Services Department will change the fees to more than 100 applications.
Mayor Ron Nirenberg says city council will look at backup funding plan for Migrant Resource Center
Read full article: Mayor Ron Nirenberg says city council will look at backup funding plan for Migrant Resource CenterSan Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg is pushing for more help with the Migrant Resource Center and said the bipartisan border security bill could bring relief.
Local advocacy group seeking bilingual volunteers to aid unaccompanied migrant children in Bexar County
Read full article: Local advocacy group seeking bilingual volunteers to aid unaccompanied migrant children in Bexar CountyThe Young Center is seeking bilingual Spanish speakers who are passionate about helping children to provide support and advocacy for over 200 unaccompanied minors in foster homes and shelters.
Migrants find warmth in kindness of strangers during freezing temperatures
Read full article: Migrants find warmth in kindness of strangers during freezing temperaturesMany migrants who were unable to get inside the Migrant Resource Center say they're grateful for the kindness of strangers who have provided for them along the way.
Eagle Pass fire chief describes policy change after surge of calls for help with migrants
Read full article: Eagle Pass fire chief describes policy change after surge of calls for help with migrantsEagle Pass' fire chief said the department had to implement a policy within the past few weeks to treat patients and not transport them unless it’s a “very critical incident" amid migrant surge.
PHOTOS: Behind the scenes as KSAT crew prepares for congressional delegation in Eagle Pass
Read full article: PHOTOS: Behind the scenes as KSAT crew prepares for congressional delegation in Eagle PassA team of KSAT journalists traveled to the border to see what locals were asking from the federal government and to see what kind of impact the recent influx of migrants had on the city.
Volunteers partner to make dignity bags for children at Migrant Resource Center
Read full article: Volunteers partner to make dignity bags for children at Migrant Resource CenterLULAC and other volunteers are partnering to make dignity bags full of essentials for children at San Antonio's Migrant Resource Center. Many come with baby wipes, combs, chapstick and journals, but each is individualized depending on age and gender.
Come next year, some asylum seekers may risk being stranded in San Antonio
Read full article: Come next year, some asylum seekers may risk being stranded in San AntonioIf the federal government doesn’t come through next year, Mayor Ron Nirenberg said there’s a real concern with no funding for migrant travel. Asylum seekers could be stranded in San Antonio unless family members can pay for their airfare or bus rides.
Congressman Tony Gonzales addresses ‘historic number’ of detentions in Eagle Pass, asks feds for help
Read full article: Congressman Tony Gonzales addresses ‘historic number’ of detentions in Eagle Pass, asks feds for helpCongressman Tony Gonzales said he is asking for federal help in curbing a surge of migrant crossings on the Texas-Mexico border.
‘We do not anticipate any changes’: Sheriff Javier Salazar reacts to Gov. Greg Abbott’s signing of Senate Bill 4
Read full article: ‘We do not anticipate any changes’: Sheriff Javier Salazar reacts to Gov. Greg Abbott’s signing of Senate Bill 4Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar is one of several leaders across Texas reacting to Senate Bill 4, a new law that will give state and local police the authority to arrest people they suspect of being undocumented anywhere in the state.
San Antonio says migrant facility at the airport isn’t secret, but it hasn’t pointed to any time it told the public
Read full article: San Antonio says migrant facility at the airport isn’t secret, but it hasn’t pointed to any time it told the publicThe City of San Antonio says the migrant facility it has been operating at the airport for roughly seven months is neither a shelter nor a secret. But the city still hasn’t been able to point out when it mentioned it publicly.
Eagle Pass Bridge 1 closed to vehicles coming into the US until further notice
Read full article: Eagle Pass Bridge 1 closed to vehicles coming into the US until further noticeDue to a recent increase in immigrant crossings, Bridge 1 in Eagle Pass is closed to vehicles coming in from Mexico into the US until further notice, the US Customs and Border Protection said.
Migrant Resource Center continues seeing overflow of people a month after influx
Read full article: Migrant Resource Center continues seeing overflow of people a month after influxIt’s been about a month since San Antonio saw an influx of migrants. However, there is still an overflow of people at the Migrant Resource Center on San Pedro.
Volunteers help feed asylum-seekers passing through Alamo City
Read full article: Volunteers help feed asylum-seekers passing through Alamo CitySan Antonio Food Bank volunteers dedicate their mornings daily to help prepare meals for migrants who have made their way from the border and are headed to other destinations.
Neighbors living behind Migrant Resource Center in San Antonio have mixed feelings about influx
Read full article: Neighbors living behind Migrant Resource Center in San Antonio have mixed feelings about influxResidents living behind the migrant resource center on San Pedro Avenue have different feelings about their temporary neighbors.
Video shows federal agents removing razor wire from banks of Rio Grande River in Eagle Pass
Read full article: Video shows federal agents removing razor wire from banks of Rio Grande River in Eagle PassA video posted by Gov. Greg Abbott on his social media account Wednesday showed razor wire that he ordered installed along the banks of the Rio Grande River in Eagle Pass cut and removed.
18 migrants discovered in tractor-trailer in San Antonio, federal officials say
Read full article: 18 migrants discovered in tractor-trailer in San Antonio, federal officials sayEighteen migrants were found inside a tractor-trailer Tuesday night on the city’s South Side, according to Homeland Security Investigations.
First responders show closer look at how agencies respond to migrant crisis situations
Read full article: First responders show closer look at how agencies respond to migrant crisis situationsOne week after officials found 12 migrants inside a trailer on I-35 near the Fisher Road ramps, first responders are sharing how they react during these crisis situations.
Three charged in human smuggling incident on city’s South Side
Read full article: Three charged in human smuggling incident on city’s South SideThree individuals are in custody in connection to a human smuggling operation on the city’s South Side on Tuesday afternoon. The suspects are facing a slew of charges.
Von Ormy police chief describes smuggling incident involving 12 migrants
Read full article: Von Ormy police chief describes smuggling incident involving 12 migrantsA stolen tractor-trailer out of Laredo with a dozen migrants crammed inside the cab was a first for the Von Ormy Police Department, said Chief Lionel Perez Jr.
12 migrants found in stolen trailer during traffic stop on I-35, driver detained, BCSO says
Read full article: 12 migrants found in stolen trailer during traffic stop on I-35, driver detained, BCSO saysTwelve migrants were found huddled together in the back of a stolen 18-wheeler in south Bexar County, and the driver has been detained, according to the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office.
Lawmakers react to allegations of migrant mistreatment along Texas border
Read full article: Lawmakers react to allegations of migrant mistreatment along Texas borderAccusations of inhumane treatment of migrants crossing the Texas border have sparked outrage among elected officials and national organizations.
Joaquin Castro calls reports of DPS troopers’ alleged mistreatment of migrants at border ‘horrific’ and ‘barbaric’
Read full article: Joaquin Castro calls reports of DPS troopers’ alleged mistreatment of migrants at border ‘horrific’ and ‘barbaric’Allegations of mistreatment of migrants, including small children, by DPS troopers and Texas National Guard soldiers is “horrific” and “barbaric,” U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro of San Antonio said.
Buoy installation at border prompts Eagle Pass business owner to file lawsuit against Texas
Read full article: Buoy installation at border prompts Eagle Pass business owner to file lawsuit against TexasThe state’s latest effort to secure the border by placing a buoy barrier in the Rio Grande has gained a lot of backlash from migrant advocacy and environmentalists.
Bexar County sheriff, California officials ask DOJ to investigate migrant flights
Read full article: Bexar County sheriff, California officials ask DOJ to investigate migrant flightsThe U.S. Department of Justice is facing calls to investigate the shipping of migrants from Texas to Massachusetts and California.
Second bus of migrants leaves Texas, arrives in Los Angeles on Saturday, reports say
Read full article: Second bus of migrants leaves Texas, arrives in Los Angeles on Saturday, reports sayAnother bus carrying dozens of migrants out of Texas arrived in Los Angeles on Saturday, according to multiple reports.
Bexar County sheriff discusses migrant flight investigations with California governor
Read full article: Bexar County sheriff discusses migrant flight investigations with California governorBexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar met with California Gov. Gavin Newsom at the Major County Sheriffs of America Conference to discuss the concurrent investigations into the migrant flights out of Texas and into other cities around the U.S.
Texas prepares to deploy buoys in the Rio Grande River as a deterrent to migrants
Read full article: Texas prepares to deploy buoys in the Rio Grande River as a deterrent to migrantsGov. Greg Abbott on Thursday announced a plan to deploy a chain of 4-foot-high orange buoys that will run along the middle of the Rio Grande River in an effort to keep migrants from crossing into Texas.
Bexar County Sheriff’s Office files criminal case over migrants flown from San Antonio
Read full article: Bexar County Sheriff’s Office files criminal case over migrants flown from San AntonioThe Bexar County Sheriff’s Office has filed a criminal case with the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office in connection with the transportation of 49 migrants from San Antonio to Martha’s Vineyard in September 2022 by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration.
Mercy Without Borders helping thousands of migrant arrivals in Reynosa, Mexico
Read full article: Mercy Without Borders helping thousands of migrant arrivals in Reynosa, MexicoRoland and Carolyn Ashby’s home in the Hill Country is a long way from the migrant camps along the Rio Grande in Reynosa, Mexico.
San Antonio not planning on a mass shelter for migrants
Read full article: San Antonio not planning on a mass shelter for migrantsA city spokeswoman said the City of San Antonio, Bexar County, and Catholic Charities were working on contingency plans to help with "transportation assistance" if the Migrant Resource Center's capacity was stretched too thin, but it was not planning on creating a mass shelter.
‘No one feels safe anymore’: Migrants on edge in Brownsville after deadly crash, gun incident
Read full article: ‘No one feels safe anymore’: Migrants on edge in Brownsville after deadly crash, gun incidentMigrants in Brownsville are on edge after a crash claimed several people’s lives outside a migrant center over the weekend, and police reported a man brandished a gun at that exact location on Monday.
SUV driver hits crowd at Texas bus stop near border; 8 dead
Read full article: SUV driver hits crowd at Texas bus stop near border; 8 deadPolice in Brownsville, Texas, are preparing to arrest the hospitalized driver of an SUV that slammed into a crowd, killing eight people waiting for a bus Sunday outside a migrant shelter in the border city.
Dozens of migrants found overheated, dehydrated in train car in Kinney County
Read full article: Dozens of migrants found overheated, dehydrated in train car in Kinney CountyDozens of migrants were found overheated and dehydrated in a train car Friday in Kinney County, Sheriff Brad Coe told KSAT 12 News.
Nonprofits gear up for an increase in asylum seekers as Title 42 set to end
Read full article: Nonprofits gear up for an increase in asylum seekers as Title 42 set to endLeaders of nonprofits that provides aid to migrants say they’re expecting the end of Title 42 to have a huge impact. In fact, they say they are already seeing an increase in migrants seeking asylum.
Lytle police chief says pursuits, bailouts involving migrants increasing
Read full article: Lytle police chief says pursuits, bailouts involving migrants increasingLytle Police Chief Richard Priest says his officers are dealing with a rising number of pursuits and bailouts involving migrants, responding to five this week.
Man arrested after group of migrants found trapped in train car near Uvalde; new details released
Read full article: Man arrested after group of migrants found trapped in train car near Uvalde; new details releasedA man was arrested after a dozen migrants were found in a train car east of Knippa on Friday, according to a criminal complaint from Homeland Security Investigations that revealed new details in the smuggling operation that left two men dead.
Growing human smuggling operations becoming more strategic, HSI agent says
Read full article: Growing human smuggling operations becoming more strategic, HSI agent saysHomeland Security Investigations' mission is to dismantle organizations responsible for cases like those seen this past weekend, where migrants were found trapped inside rail cars, resulting in injuries and several deaths.
US Rep Gonzales not surprised about recent incidents involving migrants found trapped in train cars along Highway 90
Read full article: US Rep Gonzales not surprised about recent incidents involving migrants found trapped in train cars along Highway 90Two recent incidents involving the discovery of migrants found trapped inside train cars doesn’t surprise U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales.
One dead among 12 migrants found in train car in Eagle Pass, officials say
Read full article: One dead among 12 migrants found in train car in Eagle Pass, officials sayTwelve migrants were found in a rail car in Eagle Pass by U.S. Border Patrol after having been trapped for over 24 hours, according to officials.
17 migrants found trapped in train car near Uvalde: 2 dead, others hospitalized
Read full article: 17 migrants found trapped in train car near Uvalde: 2 dead, others hospitalized“It’s sad to see that so many undocumented immigrants were found in this condition, and two of them lost their lives. It’s heartbreaking,” Rodriguez said.
San Antonio braces for spike in migrants with looming end of Trump-era policy
Read full article: San Antonio braces for spike in migrants with looming end of Trump-era policyThe daily number of people passing through the center ranges from under 1,000 to up to 1,800 already, one city official said, and an assistant city manager estimates the number of migrants coming through the MRC will jump by about 30% with the end of Title 42.
RAW VIDEO: High-speed chase involving suspected human smuggler ends in crash in Val Verde County
Read full article: RAW VIDEO: High-speed chase involving suspected human smuggler ends in crash in Val Verde CountyA suspected human smuggler led a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper on a chase that ended in a crash in Val Verde County.
Visa revoked for mother who lost two sons in deadliest smuggling case
Read full article: Visa revoked for mother who lost two sons in deadliest smuggling caseThis Thursday marks four months since a tractor-trailer full of bodies was discovered on Quintana Road. The Honduran mother of two migrants that died was set to be in San Antonio this weekend, but she said her visa was later revoked.
Gov. Abbott’s office aware of migrants’ flight from San Antonio to Martha’s Vineyard, texts show
Read full article: Gov. Abbott’s office aware of migrants’ flight from San Antonio to Martha’s Vineyard, texts showThe State of Texas previously denied any involvement with the flight that departed on September 14 with nearly 50 migrants on board.
Public records shed light on migrant flights from San Antonio to Martha’s Vineyard
Read full article: Public records shed light on migrant flights from San Antonio to Martha’s VineyardScreenshots of text messages give insight into the communication between migrants and Perla Huerta, the woman allegedly at the center of the migrant flights.
Venezuelan migrant relieved to make it to US before border officials began turning away more people
Read full article: Venezuelan migrant relieved to make it to US before border officials began turning away more peopleThe changes come in a joint effort by the U.S. and Mexico to slow down human smuggling operations.
Search continues for ‘Perla’ in connection with migrants lured onto plane from San Antonio to Martha’s Vineyard
Read full article: Search continues for ‘Perla’ in connection with migrants lured onto plane from San Antonio to Martha’s VineyardThe League Of Latin American Citizens or LULAC identified the person allegedly connected to luring migrants onto charted flights in September. Why the nonprofit fears she might be a flight risk.
McAllen respite center serving as a model for other cities, including San Antonio
Read full article: McAllen respite center serving as a model for other cities, including San AntonioWashington D.C., New York City, Chicago, San Antonio seek advice from director of Catholic Charities RGV for migrant response.
League of United Latin American Citizens fights misinformation luring migrants to take flights, busses out of state
Read full article: League of United Latin American Citizens fights misinformation luring migrants to take flights, busses out of stateThe League of United Latin American Citizens fights misinformation among migrants transported out of state
8 indicted in ‘enormous’ human smuggling network that operated in Texas, Southern US, feds say
Read full article: 8 indicted in ‘enormous’ human smuggling network that operated in Texas, Southern US, feds sayThe Department of Justice announced Tuesday that the eight suspects coordinated the transportation of the migrants from the U.S.-Mexico border to other parts of the country.
El Paso sent charter bus of migrants to New York City last week, reports say
Read full article: El Paso sent charter bus of migrants to New York City last week, reports sayThe City of El Paso sent a busload of 35 Venezuelan migrants to New York City last week, around the same time Gov. Greg Abbott took similar action without warning.
Uncertain fate in NYC or D.C. doesn’t deter asylum seekers with no family
Read full article: Uncertain fate in NYC or D.C. doesn’t deter asylum seekers with no familyGiven a choice, when offered a free bus ride to Washington, D.C. or New York City, Valeria wheeler, executive director of Mission: Border Hope, said asylum seekers almost always say, “Yes!”
Man charged in deadly tractor-trailer incident in San Antonio pleads not guilty
Read full article: Man charged in deadly tractor-trailer incident in San Antonio pleads not guiltyOne of the men facing federal charges in connection with the tractor-tractor incident on the city’s Southwest Side in June that resulted in the deaths of 53 people pleaded not guilty Thursday, according to the US Magistrate’s Office.
Smugglers and scouts outnumber sheriff’s deputies in counties like Brooks
Read full article: Smugglers and scouts outnumber sheriff’s deputies in counties like BrooksIt’s an operation that Brooks County sheriffs deputies say knows no time and has no bounds. Smuggling of migrants can happen in backroads or in high traffic areas. Reporter Alicia Barrera and photojournalist Sal Salazar take you to areas where migrants are often loaded up to be smuggled across the nation.
What does Operation Lone Star look like miles away from the border?
Read full article: What does Operation Lone Star look like miles away from the border?Operation Lone Star has helped fund the miles of concertina wire and militarization along the U.S. border. But how are funds invested in communities more than 80 miles north of the border? Reporter Alicia Barrera and photojournalist Sal Salazar visit Brooks County for a closer look.
Federal grand jury indicts two men in fatal tractor-trailer incident in San Antonio
Read full article: Federal grand jury indicts two men in fatal tractor-trailer incident in San AntonioA federal grand jury in San Antonio on Wednesday indicted two men charged in the June fatal tractor-trailer incident on the city’s Southwest Side that resulted in the deaths of 53 people and 11 more injured.
Reception mixed for city’s new Migrant Resource Center
Read full article: Reception mixed for city’s new Migrant Resource CenterNeighbors and local businesses said they were caught off-guard by the opening of the center, and since then the reception has been a mixture of “not-in-my-neighborhood” to compassion for the asylum seekers.
Border Patrol opens new processing facility in Eagle Pass, influx of migrants continues
Read full article: Border Patrol opens new processing facility in Eagle Pass, influx of migrants continuesLess than 24 hours after opening new processing facility in Eagle Pass, Border Patrol agents say its almost at capacity.
Kinney, several other counties on Texas border declare immigration an ‘invasion,’ want Gov. Abbott to act
Read full article: Kinney, several other counties on Texas border declare immigration an ‘invasion,’ want Gov. Abbott to actKinney County and several other counties have declared an “invasion” in Texas by migrants, and officials want Gov. Greg Abbott to recognize the problem and treat it as such.
All 53 victims in San Antonio migrant tragedy potentially identified; 35 IDs are conclusive
Read full article: All 53 victims in San Antonio migrant tragedy potentially identified; 35 IDs are conclusiveThe Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office announced Tuesday that all the fatality victims of the migrant tragedy have potentially been identified.
Volunteers honoring victims found inside trailer on Southwest Side with memorial
Read full article: Volunteers honoring victims found inside trailer on Southwest Side with memorialIt’s been one week since 53 migrants died on the city’s Southwest Side after being discovered in a tractor-trailer, and a growing memorial is honoring their lives with the names of victims added to the display.
Two child victims of San Antonio migrant tragedy named by Guatemala’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Read full article: Two child victims of San Antonio migrant tragedy named by Guatemala’s Ministry of Foreign AffairsAuthorities have released the names of two children who were among the dozens of people killed after being left in an abandoned tractor-trailer on the Southwest Side last Monday in San Antonio.
‘We are only humans trying to pass’: People from different faiths pray for immigration reform
Read full article: ‘We are only humans trying to pass’: People from different faiths pray for immigration reformHundreds of people were gathered in prayer inside the San Fernando Cathedral on Thursday evening, mourning the deaths of 53 migrants inside of a tractor-trailer.
4 immigrants killed, 2 critically injured following chase, crash in South Texas
Read full article: 4 immigrants killed, 2 critically injured following chase, crash in South TexasFour immigrants were killed and two were critically injured in what a Texas Department of Public Safety official called “another deadly human smuggling event.”