Law enforcement in Texas announced on Thursday that they are conducting a manhunt to locate at least 100 illegal immigrants who fled from a refrigerated truck.
Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said his office received calls of illegal immigrants “being smuggled” into the United States. The migrants, who were packed inside of a truck and pleading for air, fled on foot and disappeared into a wooded area when deputies located the vehicle and made their approach, he added. The truck was parked at a gas station in the San Antonio area.
Law enforcement officers were able to apprehend 50 people, but more than four dozen are still on the loose, Salazar said, adding that the majority of those captured were men. No children have been brought into custody, according to CNN.
The sheriff expressed concern for the well-being of those still eluding capture because Texas, alongside several other Southern states, has been roiled by unusually cold weather that has been blamed for wiping out power for 3.8 million residents. As of Thursday, 264,000 people were living in areas where water was inaccessible following temperature fluctuations that splintered pipes and caused above-ground leakage.
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“It’s subzero temperatures here, just about, and it’s still snowing. And our concern is people are going to be very much exposed to the elements, and quite frankly, we’re worried some of these people may be in distress very, very soon here,” Salazar said.
Numerous Texas cities reported subzero temperatures on Monday morning, but conditions have since improved, with many areas seeing temperatures closer to 32 degrees Friday morning.
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The majority of the migrants hail from Guatemala and El Salvador, and Salazar said he believes the smugglers may still be on the loose.
