A dramatic high-speed pursuit in Texas has resulted in the arrest of a suspected human smuggler and the discovery of multiple undocumented individuals inside his vehicle, according to state authorities.
Chase Ends in Dramatic Crash
The incident unfolded in Laredo, Texas, when troopers from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) attempted to stop a vehicle. The driver, identified as Jorge Alonso Diaz Jr., refused to pull over and instead led officers on a dangerous chase. The pursuit came to a violent end when Diaz's Lincoln Navigator crashed into a commercial vehicle.
Following the crash on December 17, 2025, Diaz was taken into custody. Upon inspecting the damaged SUV, troopers made a startling discovery: 10 undocumented immigrants and a child were hidden inside the vehicle amid the deployed airbags.
Charges and Broader Enforcement Campaign
Jorge Alonso Diaz Jr. now faces serious charges, including smuggling of persons, causing serious bodily injury, and evading arrest. This arrest is part of the ongoing Operation Lone Star 2.0 campaign, a Texas DPS initiative aimed at combating human smuggling while maintaining public safety along the border.
This was not an isolated incident in the busy border city. Just days before, on December 8, 2025, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents in Laredo arrested two U.S. citizens for allegedly smuggling four individuals from Guatemala, Mexico, and Honduras into their home.
A Pattern of Smuggling Attempts
Furthermore, in a separate operation the week prior to the chase, DPS and Laredo Border Patrol agents uncovered 17 people who were in the U.S. illegally inside a local residence. A suspected caretaker at that location was charged with human smuggling.
The data underscores the scale of activity in the region. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Laredo sector accounted for 4,400 land border encounters in the 2025 fiscal year. The entire southwest border region of Texas reported a staggering 103,124 encounters in the same period.
Authorities continue to warn against illegal entry, emphasizing that it leads to deportation. These recent busts highlight the persistent challenges and enforcement efforts at the southern U.S. border.
