2 men arrested in deadly migrant smuggling case could face the death penalty
CBSDec 27, 2022
The Facts
On Wed., a federal jury in San Antonio, Texas returned an indictment for four men in connection with the deadliest migrant smuggling operation in US history. In June, a tractor-trailer was found outside of San Antonio and inside officials found 53 migrants dead and others severely injured from heat-related illnesses.
Homero Zamorano Jr., the alleged driver of the tractor-trailer, and co-defendant Christian Martinez were indicted on charges of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in death and several other counts. If convicted, they could face life in prison or the death penalty for their involvement.
The Spin
Republican narrative
These deaths are on Biden. He and his administration have done nothing to secure America's borders, and reckless open-door policies have deadly consequences. Many more migrants will die before the Democrats decide to act responsibly.
Democratic narrative
While the GOP rants about the Democrats' supposed "open-door policies," technically, the border is still closed to migrants. Title 42, a policy from early in the pandemic, closed the southern border to stop the spread of COVID. An unintended consequence is that dangerous illegal border crossings have increased, and these trends can't be blamed on Democrats alone - Title 42 is a vital part of the GOP platform.