The Bexar County DA’s office posted the photo showing the damage to the memorial. Credit: Facebook / Bexar County District Attorney's Office

The South San Antonio memorial dedicated to the 53 people who died in the deadliest human smuggling incident in U.S. has been repaired after vandals damaged it late Friday or early Saturday.

District 4 councilwoman Dr. Adriana Rocha Garcia shared a Facebook post Sunday night showing the crosses restored to their upright position. She thanked volunteers and the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office for their speedy work recovering the memorial, located along Quintana Road.

“When you bring the UNITY in commUNITY, we make a greater impact,” she said. “Let’s keep fighting hate together.”

The memorial is located where, in November 2022, authorities discovered an abandoned tractor-trailer filled with the bodies of South American migrants who had succumbed to heat-related injuries.

In a separate Facebook post from Saturday afternoon, Rocha Garcia called the vandalism an act of hate.

“Today, half an hour before the start of the Cesar Chavez March for Justice, a District 4 resident called me to say the Migrant Memorial was vandalized,” wrote Rocha Garcia, a mayoral candidate. “I was saddened to learn that on a day of unity, this sacred site was disrespected in such a hateful way.”

Over the weekend, Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales said he intends to charge the person or people involved with a hate crime. He added that his office could slap those charged with 53 counts of criminal mischief, one for each cross knocked over.

“No one should be subject to this sort of crime, no one should be subject to remembering their loved ones with this sort of destruction,” Gonzales said.

Subscribe to SA Current newsletters.

Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter| Or sign up for our RSS Feed

Related Stories

This article appears in Mar 19 – Apr 1, 2025.

Stephanie Koithan is the Digital Content Editor of the San Antonio Current. In her role, she writes about politics, music, art, culture and food. Send her a tip at skoithan@sacurrent.com.