Video shows 23 illegal immigrants found hidden in truck cab during tense traffic stop: police

A Texas antheral has been arrested aft authorities discovered astir 2 twelve amerciable immigrants hidden wrong a motortruck aft the conveyance was pulled implicit for a regular postulation stop.  

The incidental occurred successful La Salle County, located astir 105 miles from San Antonio, conscionable aft 5 p.m. connected Friday, Nov. 28, erstwhile a trooper with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) pulled implicit a achromatic Freightliner motortruck aft the conveyance was observed driving connected an improved enarthrosis on a cardinal highway, according to DPS. 

During the stop, which was conducted arsenic portion of Operation Lone Star, the DPS trooper learned the driver, identified arsenic 24-year-old John David Amaya, was allegedly operating the conveyance without a commercialized driver’s license, according to authorities. 

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Body camera footage shows 24-year-old John David Amaya earlier helium was taken into custody for allegedly smuggling 23 amerciable immigrants successful La Salle, Texas connected Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, according to authorities.  (Texas DPS)

In assemblage camera footage of the encounter, Amaya could beryllium heard claiming helium worked for a backstage institution and became antiaircraft erstwhile the trooper requested support to hunt the vehicle, asking, "Is that required?"

Amaya continued to propulsion backmost against a imaginable search, adding, "There’s nary crushed you should beryllium searching the vehicle."  

The trooper past informed Amaya that helium would beryllium sending a constabulary K-9 portion to hunt the vehicle, adding that helium would person probable origin to hunt the motortruck if the canine alerted to immoderate findings. Amaya replied by telling the serviceman helium was connected the telephone with his lawyer.

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An Operation Lone Star postulation halt uncovered 23 amerciable immigrants hidden wrong the sleeper compartment of a motortruck successful La Salle, Texas, connected Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. (Texas DPS)

Shortly after, further authorities arrived and began walking the K-9 astir the truck, with authorities detaining Amaya aft the canine had caught a scent.

Additional footage shows officers opening the sleeper country of the truck, yet uncovering 23 amerciable immigrants hidden wrong the vehicle. 

Amaya was arrested and charged with 23 counts of smuggling of persons, DPS said. 

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John David Amaya was pulled implicit for a regular postulation halt portion driving a motortruck tractor successful La Salle, Texas, connected Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. (Texas DPS)

Additionally, Border Patrol took custody of the 23 amerciable immigrants, who hailed from Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Mexico and Nicaragua.

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Under authorities signed by Gov. Greg Abbott successful 2023, anyone recovered blameworthy of smuggling individuals faces a mandatory 10-year minimum situation sentence, according to DPS.  

DPS and Border Patrol did not instantly respond to Fox News Digital’s petition for comment.