Federal law makes it a crime to help bring someone into the United States who is not a U.S. citizen. The law contains two very broad provisions on this matter, with the result that the alien smuggler can face punishment regardless of whether he or she was acting for profit or not, or to help his or her own family or relations.
The statutes in question come from the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act. (I.N.A.), including Sections 274(a)(1)(a) and 274 (a)(2).
I.N.A. Section 274(a)(1)(a) says that anyone who helps bring or attempt to bring a noncitizen into the U.S. at some nondesignated place without inspection by a U.S. official at a border, port, or other point of entry, is committing a crime. Escorting someone across the desert is the classic violation of this section. The mode of transport doesn't matter; the law criminalizes smuggling action that takes place "in any manner whatsoever."
Penalties under Section 274(a)(1)(a) can include a fine under under Title 18 of the U.S. Code, a prison term of up to ten years, or both – and the punishment gets multiplied by the number of people smuggled. If someone gets injured as a result of the crime, the penalty can be increased to a 20-year prison term; and if someone dies as a result, the prison term can be extended to life.
Section 274(a)(2) makes it a crime to, knowingly or in reckless disregard of the fact that the person lacks prior official authorization to enter or live in the U.S., bring or attempt to bring that person into the country. (A failed crime is still a crime under this section.) In this case, it doesn’t even matter whether the person brings the noncitizen to an official entry point or not. Attempting to smuggle someone through a checkpoint in the trunk of one's car would likely be prosecuted under this section. Penalties can include a fine under Title 18 of the U.S. Code, a prison term of up to one year, or both. Again, the penalties can be multiplied by the number of violations.
Report that fucker to the FBI. We can arrest the owner now. He can't not know where his truck is, they all have GPS on them.