SAN ANTONIO – A Jordanian national has pleaded guilty to running an immigrant smuggling operation from Yemen to Piedras Negras, Mexico, with the intent of getting them into the United States, federal officials said.
Moayad Heider Mohammad Aldairi, 31, pleaded guilty Monday in federal court in Del Rio, Texas, to conspiracy to bring immigrants to the United States and a related charge for his role in a scheme to smuggle Yemeni immigrants through Mexico to the U.S., federal officials said in a news conference Tuesday in San Antonio.
According to the plea agreement, Aldairi conspired with others in 2017 to smuggle at least six Yemeni nationals across the U.S.-Mexico border into Texas in exchange for a fee, federal officials said.
Aldairi admitted his role in transporting the aliens from Monterrey, Mexico, to Piedras Negras, where he directed them to cross the Rio Grande River into the U.S., federal officials said.
He provided construction hardhats and reflective vests to some of the immigrants in an effort to enable them to blend in after crossing.
John Bash, U.S. attorney for the Western District Of Texas, said smuggling schemes like Aldairi is charged with running present a national security threat.
"We're talking about people from anywhere in the world, including countries like Yemen, that have an enormous terrorist presence and are able to get into this country by flying to countries like Ecuador and then just crossing the border," Bash said.
Aldairi will be sentenced at a later date. He faces a maximum of 10 years in prison.