Border Patrol agents reportedly find 37 migrants in tractor-trailer

LAS CRUCES, N.M. — U.S. Border Patrol agents said they apprehended 37 migrants found during a recent inspection of a tractor-trailer at the Las Cruces station.

Agents said they reported hearing movement near the rear door of the trailer during a routine inspection Sunday at the Interstate 25 checkpoint. Then, they said they saw people trying to crouch behind freight, which led to them finding 37 migrants in the trailer “without proper documentation.”

According to Border Patrol, the migrants were from countries like Guatemala, Mexico, Cuba, El Salvador and Ecuador. Agents took them to the Central Processing Center for further processing under Title 8 authority.

“During Fiscal Year 2024, El Paso Sector Agents disrupted 24 tractor-trailer smuggling events with 387 migrants found. So far in fiscal year 2025, El Paso Sector Agents have disrupted four significant tractor-trailer smuggling operations, resulting in the apprehension of 97 undocumented migrants,” Border Patrol stated in a release issued Thursday.