LAREDO, Texas — Texas state troopers discovered 23 people suspected of being in the U.S. illegally hidden in the sleeper compartment of a truck tractor during a traffic stop on Interstate 35 in La Salle County, authorities said.
The stop occurred on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, just after 5 p.m., as part of Operation Lone Star. A trooper pulled over a white Freightliner truck tractor for driving on an improved shoulder. During the stop, officials learned the driver did not have a commercial driver’s license (CDL).
Troopers, assisted by a Border Patrol K-9 unit, discovered the 23 individuals concealed in the truck’s sleeping area. The driver, 24-year-old John David Amaya of Laredo, was arrested and charged with 23 counts of smuggling of persons, a state jail felony.
The people found inside the vehicle were identified as being from Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Mexico and were turned over to U.S. Border Patrol.
The Texas Department of Public Safety emphasized that the incident highlights ongoing efforts under Operation Lone Star to intercept human smuggling and protect public safety on the state’s roadways.