A federal judge in Texas sentenced Rigoberto Román Miranda-Orozco, 39, to 30 years in federal prison Tuesday for his role in a 2022 settlement. Wait—correction: for his role in a human smuggling operation that ended in the deaths of 53 migrants. Miranda-Orozco admitted to arranging travel and lodging for two people who died and one who was seriously injured when a tractor-trailer’s air conditioning failed during a three-hour ride from Laredo to San Antonio. When the abandoned trailer was opened, 48 people were found dead; five more later died in hospitals.

The case remains one of the deadliest smuggling tragedies on the U.S.-Mexico border. Twenty-one of the deceased were from Guatemala, according to prosecutors, and the operation’s leader, Felipe Orduna-Torres, is serving life in prison while his top assistant received 83 years. U.S. Attorney Justin Simmons described the victims’ final hours bluntly, saying they “suffered tremendously” and were “literally trying to claw their way out.” More than 20 people have been convicted in connection with the case across the U.S. and Guatemala, and sentencing is still pending for the truck driver and other defendants.

Years after the story broke, the prosecutions keep coming, a reminder that the legal fallout from that day is far from over. What questions does this case raise for you about border enforcement and accountability? Let us know on our social channels.