In just two incidents Border Patrol apprehended more than 200 people discovered in tractor trailers

Border Patrol agents during two separate incidents last week apprehended more than 200 people who were found inside of trailers.

During a Dec. 4 incident, 138 people from nations including Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Ecuador and Nicaragua were discovered in a trailer. The people were found to be in the U.S. illegally, according to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection press release which noted that the tractor trailer driver was an American citizen. The people and the driver "were taken into custody pending investigation," the release noted.

In a Dec. 5 incident 80 people were found in a trailer: "When the trailer was opened, 80 individuals were discovered crammed inside from the countries of Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras," the press release noted. "They were placed under arrest pending investigation by Homeland Security Investigation. U.S. Border Patrol seized the tractor and trailer."

In each of those two cases, most of the 218 people did not have on personal protective equipment, CBP noted.

“These two cases illustrate the dangerous amount of human smuggling using large commercial vehicles," Laredo Sector Chief Patrol Agent Matthew Hudak said. "These vehicles are not made to carry people, putting the aliens at risk of life threatening injury and offer no protection from COVID-19 or other infectious diseases.”