Texas Smuggling Conviction Highlights DOJ Efforts

Felipe Orduna-Torres and Armando Gonzalez-Ortega were convicted by a federal jury for their roles in a human smuggling operation in Texas that resulted in the deaths of 53 migrants in 2022. The tragedy, one of the deadliest in U.S. history, occurred when 66 migrants were crammed into a tractor-trailer without functional air conditioning, leading to fatalities due to extreme heat. The victims, who had paid between $12,000 and $15,000 each, included six children and a pregnant woman. The two men face a potential life sentence during their upcoming sentencing in June. The driver, Homero Zamorano Jr., and other accomplices have also been charged, with Zamorano pleading guilty to similar charges. The case highlights ongoing efforts by the Department of Justice to dismantle human smuggling networks.