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LAREDO, Texas - State troopers found 23 people suspected of being in the country illegally hidden inside a truck tractor's sleeping compartment during a traffic stop on Interstate 35, the Texas Department of Public Safety announced.
23 people found hidden in semi
What we know:
The incident happened Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, just after 5 p.m., in La Salle County as part of Operation Lone Star.
A DPS Trooper initially pulled over a white Freightliner truck tractor for driving on an improved shoulder along the busy interstate. During the stop, the trooper learned the driver did not have a commercial driver's license (CDL).
The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) recovered 23 illegal immigrants hidden inside a truck tractor during an Operation Lone Star traffic stop in La Salle Co.
Troopers and a Border Patrol K-9 unit found the 23 people hidden in the vehicle's sleeper area.
The driver, identified as John David Amaya, 24, of Laredo, was immediately arrested. He was charged with 23 counts of smuggling of persons, a state jail felony.
John David Amaya, 24 (Source: Texas DPS)
The 23 individuals, who were identified as being from Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Mexico, were referred to U.S. Border Patrol.
What's next:
Under legislation signed by Gov. Greg Abbott in 2023, individuals convicted of smuggling of persons in Texas face a mandatory 10-year minimum prison sentence. If convicted, Amaya could face significant prison time.
The Source: Information in this article is from the Texas Department of Public Safety.