At least 39 men and 12 women, most of them residents of Mexico, were found dead in an industrial area on the outskirts of San Antonio. They were found in the back of an abandoned sweltering semi-trailer truck about 160 miles from the US-Mexico border.
Temperatures hovered towards 40°C and local authorities said there were no signs of water or visible air conditioning inside the truck.
Craig Larrabee, an acting special agent in charge of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) investigative division, claimed the incident was the largest loss of life ever recorded in an attempted human trafficking in the United States.
According to court documents and US authorities, Mexican citizens Juan Francisco D’Luna-Bilbao and Juan Claudio D’Luna-Mendez have been charged with possession of firearms while living in the US.
A third suspect, believed to be an American citizen and driver of the truck, has been arrested.
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A Mexican official has claimed he was still in hospital on Tuesday night but is expected to be charged.
Joe Biden has been criticized after the incident.
However, the 79-year-old US president called it “horrific and heartbreaking”.
He added: “It is shameful to exploit vulnerable individuals for profit.”
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