The Justice Department has announced charges against 14 individuals connected to what officials describe as a large, sophisticated alien-smuggling organization operating across the U.S.–Mexico border. The indictment, handed down by a grand jury in Las Cruces, New Mexico, accuses the defendants of conspiring to transport, harbor, and smuggle undocumented migrants into the United States. According to a DOJ press release, eight of the charged individuals have already been arrested. Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Criminal Division emphasized that the group’s alleged operations posed severe dangers to the migrants involved, even resulting in one death. Bacon further underscored the collaborative efforts between the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to dismantle what officials say is a transnational smuggling network that moved hundreds of undocumented individuals—including unaccompanied minors—through hazardous routes in New Mexico and South Texas.

The indictment outlines a coordinated scheme in which the conspirators allegedly brought undocumented individuals from Mexico into the United States via remote sections of the southern border. The defendants are accused not only of orchestrating unauthorized crossings but also of arranging transportation deeper into U.S. territory. To evade detection, the organization allegedly relied on a network of “stash houses,” where migrants were hidden temporarily as they were moved through the smuggling chain. According to federal authorities, these operations involved numerous tactics to avoid law enforcement, including high-speed driving intended to outrun Border Patrol agents and instructions given to migrants on how to flee law enforcement on foot or circumvent checkpoints. These increasingly dangerous methods, the DOJ contends, were designed to maximize profit at the expense of migrant safety.

One of the most serious allegations in the indictment involves the death of a migrant who reportedly succumbed to extreme heat during a smuggling attempt. According to the DOJ, the individual was abandoned in the desert by members of the smuggling organization, illustrating the broader pattern of disregard for human life that officials attribute to the group’s operations. Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin for the District of New Mexico condemned the organization’s actions, stressing that human-smuggling networks pose grave risks not only to the people they exploit but also to national security and public safety. Kastrin reiterated the commitment of federal authorities to collaborate across agencies—federal, state, and local—to dismantle these organizations, prosecute their leaders, and seize any profits derived from their illegal activities.

The arrests occur at a time when U.S. border and immigration policy is undergoing major shifts. The DOJ announcement comes shortly after President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders reversing most immigration and border policies enacted during the Biden-Harris administration. Critics of the previous administration argue that its policies amounted to an “open border” environment that encouraged increased migration flows and enriched smuggling networks. According to official estimates referenced in the announcement, nearly eight million individuals were detected crossing illegally into the United States over the past four years. Federal officials suggest that these conditions allowed smuggling organizations like the one dismantled in this case to grow more profitable and more dangerous as migrant numbers surged and enforcement patterns shifted.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), a division of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), played a central role in the investigation. Jason T. Stevens, Special Agent in Charge for the El Paso sector, praised the multi-agency operation and highlighted the continued commitment of law enforcement officers who risk their safety to disrupt transnational criminal networks. Stevens noted that human smuggling is not merely an immigration offense but a crime that frequently leads to death, severe injury, and collateral risks to the public. He emphasized that the individuals involved in these smuggling schemes treat migrants as “human cargo,” exploiting their desperation for financial gain. According to Stevens, HSI remains dedicated to using its full legal authority to locate, investigate, and arrest those who profit from human suffering and undermine U.S. immigration laws.

Each of the 14 defendants charged in the indictment now faces counts of conspiracy to bring, transport, and harbor undocumented migrants within the United States. If convicted, they could receive sentences of up to 10 years in federal prison. Sentencing will ultimately be determined by a federal district court judge, who will weigh the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines along with other statutory factors. The DOJ underscored that the investigation remains active and that additional arrests or charges may follow as authorities continue to dismantle the broader network. Federal officials framed the case as part of a larger nationwide effort to counter human smuggling and trafficking operations that have flourished in recent years. Through coordinated enforcement and renewed policy direction, the Justice Department and DHS say they aim to prevent exploitation, safeguard lives, and restore stronger controls over the southern border.