The 11 illegal immigrants who survived the horrific botched smuggling attempt into the United States that left 53 dead in an abandoned semitruck in Texas might be allowed to stay in the country legally, according to a Democrat Congressman.
“This morning, I joined my colleagues in the @HispanicCaucus to speak with [Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas] about what DHS is doing to help the victims of the human smuggling tragedy in San Antonio and their families,” Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) wrote on Twitter. “DHS is looking into the potential applicability of T and U visas for the survivors. These visas provide victims of human trafficking and other crimes with protections from deportation and help law enforcement prosecute those responsible.”
“DHS is also working with the governments of Mexico, Guatemala, and other countries to repatriate the bodies of the dead and support affected families. I’ve asked DHS to let the families of the survivors visit their loved ones in the US, and I hope they will do that,” Castro added.
DHS is looking into the potential applicability of T and U visas for the survivors. These visas provide victims of human trafficking and other crimes with protections from deportation and help law enforcement prosecute those responsible. (2/3)
— Joaquin Castro (@JoaquinCastrotx) July 14, 2022
Late last month, “San Antonio police and Homeland Security investigators found 64 migrants, some inside the truck, in the sweltering Texas heat and others in its vicinity,” NBC News reported. “Forty-eight of them died at the scene and 16 others were transported to hospitals. Five of those 16 people died at the hospital.”
As of last week, 47 of the 53 illegal immigrants who died had been identified. Of those, 22 were from Mexico, 19 from Guatemala and six from Honduras.
