Arrested driver pictured smiling as he transported doomed migrant truck across the border

Homero Zamorano was reportedly arrested after he fled the trailer and was found hiding in a bush and initially pretended to be one of the survivors

New photos shared by Mexican officials show the arrested driver of the truck carrying the doomed migrants found on the side of the road in San Antonio this week smiling as he crossed the US-Mexico border.

During a press conference on Wednesday, Mexican border officials provided a new details about the timeline of the truck carrying more than 60 people into the US this week, of which at least 53 have since died after being trapped inside the sweltering trailer without access to water or air conditioning as the temperatures outside that day soared into the high 90s and low 100s.

Zamorano was reportedly arrested after he fled the trailer and was found hiding in a bush and initially pretended to be one of the survivors from the deadly incident, Univision reported.

Officials determined that Homero Zamorano, 45, who has since been charged with one count of alien smuggling resulting in death, entered Texas through a checkpoint in Laredo, on Mexico’s northwest border.

Border agents from the crossing were able to verify this information after they went over surveillance footage and found a man driving what appeared to be the same tractor-trailer as was discovered on Monday evening who was wearing the same clothing as Mr Zamorano – a black striped shirt and cap.

The alleged driver of a truck carrying dozens of migrants, identified by Mexican immigration officials as ‘Homero N’, drives through a security checkpoint in this surveillance photograph in Laredo, Texas, in this handout photo distributed to Reuters on June 29, 2022 (via REUTERS)

The picture, which shows Mr Zamorano with his eyes covered up, shows the suspected driver beaming back at the border agent while he prepares to make the journey through to San Antonio where the fate of the unknowing people in the back of the truck would take a tragic turn.

Ultimately, the border agents reported that Mr Zamorano advanced through to checkpoints, Encinal and Cotulla, with the dozens of undocumented migrants packed away in the back of the trailer going undetected by officials, KSAT reported.

On Wednesday afternoon, after it was announced that Mr Zamorano, alongside three others, had been arrested in connection with an event now being described as the deadliest smuggling event to occur in US history, Gov Greg Abbott made an announcement that patrols along his state’s shared border would be beefed up in direct response to the horrific events.

The announcement, made at Eagle Pass, Texas, one of the busiest crossings for people making their way up through Mexico into the US, included the addition of DPS strike teams, each consisting of 20 troopers, to the crossing to “detect and deter unlawful border crossings and apprehend illegal immigrants”.

“President Biden needs to focus on addressing the humanitarian crisis his reckless leadership has created at the border, instead of attacking the jobs of hardworking Texans and oil production in the Permian Basin,” said Gov Abbott.

The Republican governor also announced that DPS will be implementing new vehicle inspection checkpoints targeting semi-trucks beginning immediately, a reaction to the fact that the tractor-trailer carrying the dozens of people on Monday had gone unchecked at two separate checkpoints.

“The Lone Star State will not sit idly by as the federal government chooses to ignore the historic number of illegal crossings, human smuggling, and drug trafficking of deadly fentanyl from Mexico into the United States,” said Mr Abbott.

“Our government has no greater responsibility than to provide public safety to its citizens. Until President Biden decides to uphold immigration laws passed by Congress, the State of Texas will continue utilising every tool available to secure the border and keep Texans – and Americans – safe.”

Mr Zamorano is expected to appear for his first hearing in federal court on Thursday.