Texas woman surrenders in Union Pacific rail-container smuggling case that left 7 migrants dead

Insight summary

• •Karina Garcia, 37, surrendered to federal authorities in Del Rio, Texas, facing two federal charges related to smuggling migrants resulting in deaths.
• •Garcia and others allegedly smuggled migrants from Mexico in cargo trains over about three years, charging between $1,500 and $10,000 per person.
• •Seven migrants, including a 14-year-old, died inside a freight container in May due to heat and lack of ventilation during transport near Union Pacific tracks.
• •The container was found near San Antonio and Laredo with six bodies discovered by a yard worker and the seventh found later by authorities.
• •Eleven defendants were charged with transportation resulting in death; eight have been arrested, one remains at large.
• •The case highlights the critical importance of rail and terminal security to prevent unauthorized access and related human tragedies.
• •Law enforcement agencies involved include Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Marshals.