A truck driver caught with 11 migrants said she expected a payment of $500 per migrant, according to an arrest affidavit.
Jhikevia Brejada Brice was arrested on the charges of transport, attempt to transport and conspire to transport the migrants.
A white tractor arrived at the Interstate 35 checkpoint at about 6:40 p.m. July 29. The driver was identified as Brice. She declared that she was traveling alone, the affidavit states.
Brice allowed agents to look inside the tractor sleeper. An agent then observed the outline of a person under the bed sheets. Then, a K-9 unit alerted to possible contraband within the outside storage compartment of the tractor, authorities said.
Brice allowed agents to open the locked storage door, where authorities found one migrant hiding inside the compartment. An additional 10 migrants were discovered inside the tractor sleeper, according to court documents.
Homeland Security Investigations special agents took over the case. In a post-arrest statement, Brice mentioned she had called an individual to discuss transporting migrants inside a tractor from Laredo to San Antonio, the affidavit states.
Brice agreed to transport migrants for $500 per person. She stated she drove to a prearranged address with warehouses in north Laredo. Brice met with the occupants of two vehicles and assisted in hiding the migrants in the tractor, states the affidavit.
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