A TikTok video has led immigration authorities to a suspect accused of smuggling unlawful immigrants, with the person admitting that he had beforehand transported 10 undocumented people.
On Monday, the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace for the Western District of Texas introduced that Victor Eduardo De La Fuente is among the many 242 new immigration instances filed by federal prosecutors from Jan. 30 to Feb. 5.
The lawyer’s workplace disclosed that costs have been introduced towards human smugglers and unlawful aliens whose previous convictions embrace youngster sexual assault, violent crimes, driving whereas intoxicated and a number of prior removals.
De La Fuente has as soon as once more been charged with human smuggling following his arrest by U.S. Border Patrol brokers in El Paso, Texas, based on the U.S. lawyer’s workplace. The suspect was beforehand convicted of conspiracy to move immigrants in 2024.
In accordance with the newest prison criticism, De La Fuente claims to be a U.S. citizen however lives in Juarez. The suspect is reportedly the proprietor of a car depicted in a TikTok video that confirmed unlawful immigrants transferring into his automotive from one other car.
Whereas the suspect admitted that he had beforehand transported 10 immigrants for a price of $100 per migrant, he informed brokers that he was not the motive force seen within the TikTok video.
The Intelligence Unit of the USBP famous the license plates on a Ford Edge car within the video that seemed to be choosing up migrants in the USA, KTSM 9 experiences. Border Patrol positioned the car whereas brokers in plain garments investigated an condominium complicated close to the border wall on Loop 375 in El Paso.
When brokers later intercepted De La Fuente earlier than he might cross into Mexico, the suspect agreed to be interviewed at a Border Patrol station, based on courtroom data referenced by KTSM 9. The suspect admitted he owned the Ford Edge however claimed that another person “gave him” the automotive months in the past.
“The defendant was shown the TikTok video involving the transfer (of migrants) to the Ford Edge but claimed he was not the driver. The defendant claims (he) had transferred illegal aliens using the Ford Edge to (another vehicle) and location on prior events,” a Border Patrol investigator acknowledged in a Feb. 5 criticism cited by KTSM 9.
De La Fuente was beforehand arrested in June 2023 after he reportedly led the El Paso Police Division and Border Patrol brokers on a high-speed chase, based on the prison criticism. The chase ended after the car got here to a cease on a dust highway, and a number of other folks, together with those that had been inside the trunk, tried to flee.
Following the 2023 apprehension, De La Fuente was sentenced to a yr and a day in jail for conspiracy to move unlawful immigrants. A date for the suspect’s detention listening to in federal courtroom in El Paso concerning his most up-to-date costs has not but been set.
U.S. Border Patrol officers informed the outlet that smugglers will usually use social media purposes like TikTok to promote their companies.
Authorities who’ve handled human smuggling instances have additionally spoken of the abusive therapy migrants usually endure by the hands of smugglers, in addition to the harmful circumstances they’re usually uncovered to through the journey.
In January 2025, the police division in Hurley, New Mexico, found 11 migrants padlocked behind a rented truck near midnight on New Yr’s Eve, with one other seated on the entrance of the car. The police division in Hurley contacted Border Patrol for help with the state of affairs.
The migrants padlocked contained in the van reportedly got here from varied international locations, together with Guatemala, Mexico, El Salvador and Honduras. The suspect, dealing with human smuggling costs, additionally had a Mexican driver’s license.
Samantha Kamman is a reporter for The Christian Publish. She will be reached at: samantha.kamman@christianpost.com. Observe her on Twitter: @Samantha_Kamman
“Well bless their hearts.”
