Texas: eleven smugglers indicted following death of seven migrants in freight car

Herz — World Desk · 24 July 2026 at 19:42 · 30s summary · 3 min read

What we know

An American federal court indicted 11 people for human trafficking, following the death of seven migrants in a freight car in Texas. The U.S. Department of Justice announced these indictments on July 24, 2026.

On May 9, 2026, smugglers locked at least seven migrants in a Union Pacific freight car — one of seven major Class I railroad companies in the United States, founded in 1862 — at Del Rio, Texas. The car had no ventilation, with outdoor temperatures exceeding 88°F (31°C).

At San Antonio, the smugglers opened the freight car and found migrants in distress. One was already dead. They abandoned the body near the railroad tracks and allowed the train to depart with the remaining migrants still on board.

On May 10, 2026, a Union Pacific rail yard employee in Laredo, Texas, spotted a leg protruding from a container. An inspection revealed six dead migrants, bringing the total death toll to seven.

Among the seven victims was a 14-year-old. Four were Mexican nationals, three were Honduran nationals.

The smuggling network

The network operated from April 2023 to May 2026. It transported undocumented migrants across the U.S.-Mexico border in freight cars, charging them between $1,500 and $10,000 per journey.

Among the 11 indicted, Mayra Alejandra Huerta was arrested shortly after the May 2026 tragedy. Eight other suspects were apprehended in Texas in the week preceding the July 24, 2026 announcement. Two suspects remain at large.

Timeline

1. Network begins operations: undocumented migrants are transported clandestinely across the U.S.-Mexico border in freight cars, charged $1,500 to $10,000 per journey.