An investigation is underway after a teenager died in a crash near the southern Texas border involving a vehicle suspected of being used for human smuggling, authorities said.
The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) said the crash occurred on Ranch Road 674, north of Brackettville, at around 3 p.m. on Wednesday.
Law enforcement were chasing a Dodge Ram pickup suspected of human smuggling at the time, the department said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
"The driver lost control, veering off the roadway & rolled over, ejecting multiple occupants," the department said in another post.
Authorities initially said two male passengers had died, while three occupants were airlifted to the hospital.
In an update, the department confirmed that a passenger in the Dodge—a 17-year-old—had died.
The driver, who is 18, and two other passengers are in critical condition.
Homeland Security Investigations will lead the criminal investigation while the Texas Department of Public Safety is looking into the fatal crash.
Newsweek has contacted the department for further comment via email.
Injuries and deaths of migrants illegally crossing into the U.S. have come under increased scrutiny after 11 people were hurt on Saturday after trying to climb over the wall and falling on the San Diego, California, side.
Such injuries have increased significantly since the border wall was heightened to deter illegal crossings during Donald Trump's administration.
In Texas, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has been involved in an ongoing standoff with the Biden administration over a series of aggressive measures he has taken on the border to curb illegal crossings from Mexico.
As part of Operation Lone Star, Texas has put razor wire along the U.S.-Mexico border, placed a floating barrier in the Rio Grande and stopped Border Patrol agents from accessing a park in Eagle Pass that they previously used to process migrants.
Abbott has repeatedly blamed President Joe Biden as crossings surged, and immigration has emerged as a central issue in the 2024 presidential campaign.
"Americans are outraged by Joe Biden's complete failure to secure the border," he wrote on X on Wednesday, alongside a clip of his remarks during a visit to the border with former President Donald Trump, who is closing in becoming the Republican Party's presidential candidate. "3 years ago today, I launched Operation Lone Star to defend Texans—and Americans—from his disastrous open border policies. Texas continues to deter & repel illegal immigration. We will not back down."
Update 03/07/24, 8:00 a.m. ET: This article has been updated to add additional information.
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