EL PASO, Texas — A Mexican national has pleaded guilty in connection with a sophisticated underground tunnel used to smuggle migrants from Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, into El Paso.
Federal prosecutors say Luis Carlos Davalos-Lopez, 29, conspired with others to move migrants through the tunnel, which investigators found in January 2025 connected to El Paso’s storm-drain system. The passage was allegedly used to move people underground before they were taken away in a modified box truck.
As KFOX’s Erika Esquivel reports, Davalos-Lopez and his co-defendants were indicted in April 2025.
According to court documents, intercepted calls captured Davalos-Lopez discussing the tunnel, including the number of migrants crossing through it and fees of up to $30,000 for people seeking to enter the United States without inspection.
Authorities said the tunnel was allegedly built by the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación, or CJNG.
A sentencing date has not been set, and a judge will determine his sentence after considering federal guidelines and other factors.
Two co-defendants have previously pleaded guilty in the broader investigation.
Maria Del Rosario Navarro-Sanchez admitted last month to conspiring to provide material support to CJNG through firearms trafficking, while Gustavo Castro-Medina pleaded guilty to helping facilitate a $3,000 wire transfer intended for firearms purchases.
Texas Border Watch previously examined the growing concern over cartels using tunnels, storm drains and other underground infrastructure to move people, drugs and weapons across the border.
Former El Paso Sector Chief Patrol Agent Victor Manjarrez said those routes can create serious public-safety concerns for cities because they can be hidden within existing drainage and utility systems.
“The exploitation of our city infrastructure, I do believe that’s happening probably daily in major cities,” Manjarrez said. “If you see the numbers drop and you see enforcement increase above ground, it isn’t because the human smuggling organizations have stopped, or narcotics smugglers; they just saw a different alternative to bring to illicit cargo.”
New World screwworm detected in Presidio County horse
A horse in Presidio County has tested positive for New World screwworm, marking the first confirmed U.S. case involving a horse during the current outbreak.
USDA reports the case was confirmed on Sept. 9.
The U.S. Equestrian Federation says the parasite was detected on the hind limb of a working ranch horse.
New World screwworm is the larval stage of a fly that feeds on living tissue, often after eggs are laid in an open wound.
Horse owners are being urged to inspect their animals daily, keep wounds clean and covered as directed by a veterinarian, and watch for signs including worsening wounds, foul-smelling drainage or visible larvae.
The only other active U.S. case is in a dog in Crockett County, detected Aug. 31.
Abbott highlights Texas border policies at GOP midterm convention
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott used part of his speech at this week’s Republican Midterm Convention in Dallas to highlight the state’s border-security policies.
Abbott pointed to Texas’ efforts to bus migrants to so-called sanctuary cities, expand border enforcement and enact new immigration-related laws. The governor has argued Texas took on a larger border-security role because of what he describes as failures by the federal government to secure the southern border.
The convention brought together prominent Republican officials and activists ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, with border security among the major themes.