A Mexican immigrant was discovered while trying to cross the border from Mexico hidden in a compartment built next to a vehicle's fuel tank, causing him burns, U.S. immigration authorities reported Monday. Although the discovery occurred on February 27 during a routine inspection by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the San Ysidro port of entry in California, one of the world's busiest, the EFE agency disseminated the case this Monday, March 23. CBP's canine team drew agents' attention to a pickup truck driven by a 20-year-old. The vehicle was sent for a secondary inspection, where agents found a person concealed in a compartment made for that purpose next to the fuel tank, CBP reported in a statement. Emergency personnel transported the man, identified as a Mexican citizen, to a hospital to receive treatment for burns suffered during an attempted migrant smuggling. "This case highlights the dangerous and inhuman tactics used by smugglers, who prioritize profits over human lives," said Mariza Marín, director of the San Ysidro port, in a statement. Marín noted that the Mexican man was rescued from a life-threatening situation, while the driver was arrested and charged with illegal immigrant trafficking. Activists have warned that the anti-immigrant policy of U.S. President Donald Trump would not stop immigration but would force foreigners to take greater risks to enter the country.
