The Secretary of Homeland Security of the United States, Kristi Noem, has requested the Department of Justice to file charges and seek the death penalty for two Mexican citizens accused of being involved in a human trafficking case that resulted in the death of three individuals. Noem's request came after a panga-type boat capsized near Torrey Pines, San Diego, California, on May 5, leaving at least 16 people on board.
In her report, Noem praised the swift response and professionalism of the U.S. Coast Guard, the Border Patrol, and local rescue teams in the incident. In addition to the Mexican citizens, authorities also arrested three others allegedly related to the human trafficking: Melissa Jenelle Cota, Gustavo Lara, and Sergio Rojas-Fregoso.
Noem pointed out that the deaths could have been avoided and attributed the case to the greed and negligence of the traffickers involved. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, as well as the Federal Death Penalty Act, human trafficking that results in the death of one or more persons is considered a capital crime.
After the capsize of the boat, eight migrants initially reported as missing were found by the Border Patrol in Chula Vista. Julio César Zúñiga Luna and Jesús Juan Rodríguez Leyva, Mexican citizens, were arrested and charged with bringing in aliens resulting in death and economic gain.
In the incident, three people died, including a 14-year-old Indian teenager and two Mexican adults, with a 10-year-old Indian girl still missing. Sergio Rojas-Fregoso, who also faces charges for illegal reentry, had been previously deported.
The U.S. prosecutor's office reported that the father of the deceased teenager is in a coma, the mother hospitalized, and the 10-year-old daughter remains missing, highlighting the tragic reality of maritime human trafficking. Kristi Noem described this event as a reminder of the danger posed by human smuggling and the tragedy that can result from it.
