✈️🚨 Immigrants Vanish from ICE System After Deportation Flights to El Salvador
🚛💀 Two Men Convicted in San Antonio Smuggling Case That Killed 53 Migrants 🚀🏖️ Texas Lawmakers Propose Giving Starbase Control Over Weekday Beach Closures
🚛💀 Two Men Convicted in San Antonio Smuggling Case That Killed 53 Migrants
_Associated Press.- A federal jury in San Antonio convicted Felipe Orduna-Torres and Armando Gonzales-Ortega for their role in a 2022 human smuggling operation that resulted in the deaths of 53 migrants. The victims, from Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, paid up to $15,000 each to be smuggled into the U.S. but were trapped in a sweltering, air-conditioning-deficient trailer for hours before reaching San Antonio. By the time authorities opened the truck, 48 people were dead, and five more succumbed in hospitals. Prosecutors said the smugglers ignored the obvious dangers. The men face life sentences, with sentencing set for June 27. Five others, including truck driver Homero Zamorano Jr., have pleaded guilty, while additional suspects face charges in the U.S., Mexico, and Guatemala. This case marks the deadliest smuggling attempt across the U.S.-Mexico border, highlighting the fatal risks migrants face in human trafficking operations.
✈️🚨 Immigrants Vanish from ICE System After Deportation Flights to El Salvador
Joshua Goodman and Gisela Salomon, AP.- Families are frantically searching for loved ones after hundreds of Venezuelan immigrants disappeared from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainee tracking system following deportation flights. The Trump administration transferred over 200 migrants to El Salvador’s maximum-security prison under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which allows deportation without legal recourse. Many detainees, accused of belonging to Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang, have no criminal records, and families claim they were wrongly identified due to tattoos. ICE has not provided evidence linking the deportees to criminal activity. The U.S. paid El Salvador $6 million to detain the migrants, but without an online inmate database, families struggle to locate them. Venezuela has condemned the deportations as “kidnappings” and vowed to repatriate its citizens. Advocates warn that migrants are becoming pawns in geopolitical conflicts.
🚔⚖️ Texas Bill Would Require Sheriffs to Work With ICE Amid Trump’s Mass Deportation Plan
Alejandro Serrano, The Texas Tribune.- Texas lawmakers are debating Senate Bill 8, which would mandate sheriffs in counties with over 100,000 residents to enter ICE’s 287(g) program, deputizing officers for immigration enforcement. While Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Gov. Greg Abbott back the proposal, some sheriffs warn of budget strains, staffing challenges, and potential unfunded mandates. Immigration hardliners argue the bill should extend to all law enforcement, not just sheriffs. Civil rights groups, including the ACLU and Texas Civil Rights Project, oppose the measure, citing concerns over racial profiling and misallocation of public safety funds. Some advocates suggest limiting ICE cooperation to jail programs and ensuring proper training to make the bill more acceptable. With Texas already leading the nation in 287(g) agreements, the legislation could further entrench state and local involvement in federal immigration enforcement, heightening tensions amid Trump’s renewed deportation push.
🚀🏖️ Texas Lawmakers Propose Giving Starbase Control Over Weekday Beach Closures
_Steve Clark, The Brownsville Herald.- Two Rio Grande Valley lawmakers have introduced legislation granting SpaceX’s Starbase authority over Boca Chica Beach and S.H. 4 closures for spaceflight activities—if Starbase becomes a municipality. Senate Bill 2188 and House Bill 4066, filed by Sen. Adam Hinojosa and Rep. Janie Lopez, would strip Cameron County’s authority over weekday closures (Monday 8 a.m. to Friday noon) while retaining control over weekend closures. The May 3 vote on Starbase’s incorporation is expected to pass, effectively cementing SpaceX’s control. Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño Jr. opposes the move, arguing existing regulations already balance public access and safety. The bills, which do not explicitly name SpaceX, describe spaceports with Gulf of Mexico access, aligning perfectly with Boca Chica. SpaceX has reportedly lobbied for this change, but public opinion remains divided between economic support and concerns over restricting beach access.*