At least 51 people who were found inside a tractor-trailer in San Antonio on Monday have died, after a presumed migrant smuggling attempt, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesperson said Tuesday.
The latest: Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) has detained three individuals who are "believed to be part of the smuggling conspiracy," the spokesperson said.
- President Biden said in a statement Tuesday that "the tragic loss of life in San Antonio, Texas that took place yesterday is horrifying and heartbreaking."
- "While we are still learning all the facts about what happened ... initial reports are that this tragedy was caused by smugglers or human traffickers who have no regard for the lives they endanger and exploit to make a profit," Biden said.
- "Exploiting vulnerable individuals for profit is shameful, as is political grandstanding around tragedy, and my administration will continue to do everything possible to stop human smugglers and traffickers from taking advantage of people who are seeking to enter the United States between ports of entry."
Driving the news: Authorities said at a news conference on Monday that 16 people found in the trailer alive, including four minors, were taken to local hospitals with conditions such as heat stroke and heat exhaustion.
- An ICE spokesperson said in a statement to news outlets on Monday that HSI responded to a call from San Antonio police about "an alleged human smuggling event" in the area and confirmed the deaths of more than 40 people at the scene.
Zoom in: San Antonio Fire Chief Charles Hood said at the news conference near the scene of the tragedy, not...