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Mar 10, 2026

DOJ Charges 14 in Large Migrant Smuggling Network as Federal Crackdown Intensifies

DOJ Charges 14 in Large Migrant Smuggling Network as Federal Crackdown Intensifies

The U.S. Department of Justice has announced charges against 14 individuals accused of participating in a large and organized migrant smuggling network that allegedly moved hundreds of undocumented migrants into the United States. Authorities say eight of the suspects have already been arrested as part of the ongoing federal investigation.

A federal grand jury in Las Cruces, New Mexico, returned an indictment charging the defendants with conspiracy to transport, harbor, and illegally bring migrants into the country through the southern border. Officials say the smuggling operation was extensive and operated across multiple regions, particularly throughout New Mexico and South Texas.

According to a statement released by the Justice Department, investigators believe the group operated a highly coordinated smuggling system that placed migrants in extremely dangerous conditions during their journey into the United States.

Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division said the indictment describes a complex and organized conspiracy that endangered lives and ultimately resulted in tragedy.

“The indictment alleges that the defendants engaged in a sophisticated operation designed to smuggle migrants into and throughout the United States while exposing them to serious risks,” Bacon said. “Sadly, the scheme allegedly led to the death of one individual.”

Federal officials said the operation was dismantled through a joint investigation between the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Authorities believe the organization was based in Mexico and was responsible for smuggling hundreds of migrants across the border, including unaccompanied children.

According to court documents, members of the network allegedly transported migrants from Mexico into the United States through illegal border crossings and then moved them across several states. Investigators say migrants were often hidden in so-called “stash houses,” temporary locations used by smugglers to conceal people while arranging further transportation.

The indictment also claims that members of the organization took extreme measures to avoid detection by law enforcement. In several cases, drivers reportedly attempted to evade authorities by traveling at dangerously high speeds or instructing migrants on how to run from U.S. Border Patrol agents and avoid security checkpoints.

Authorities also revealed that one migrant died from heat exposure during a smuggling attempt. According to investigators, the individual was abandoned in the desert after collapsing from the extreme temperatures.

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