Police Chase, Stash House Raids, Lead to Arrest of Dozens near Border in Texas

Laredo Sector Border Patrol agents arrested nearly four dozen migrants over the weekend. The arrests came following a police pursuit and raids on two human smuggling stash houses near the Texas border with Mexico.

Webb County Constables Office Precinct 2 contacted Laredo South Station officials on the morning of February 26 about a vehicle that failed to yield. When the police pursuit ended, the driver and passengers jumped from the vehicle and fled, according to information obtained from Laredo Sector Border Patrol officials.

The constable’s deputy chased down the driver, a U.S. citizen, while the Border Patrol agents rounded up ten illegal aliens, officials stated. The agents reported the migrants entered the U.S. after traveling from Guatemala and Mexico. The deputy arrested the driver and the agents took the migrants to the Laredo South Station for processing under current sector guidelines.

Later that day, Laredo Police Department officials contacted the Border Patrol regarding a suspected human smuggling stash house in the central part of the border city. Agents met up with the police officers at the suspected stash house and made contact with the occupants.

After gaining entry to the residence, the agents found 25 migrants identified as being illegally present in the United States, officials reported. the agents identified the migrants as having traveled to the U.S. from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras.

On Sunday, Laredo police officers once again requested assistance from Border Patrol agents regarding four migrants they apprehended who claimed they were being held in a stash house. A search of the area led to the apprehension of five additional migrants, the report continues.

Laredo police searched the house the migrants claimed to have come from. No additional migrants were found in the house. The agents identified the nine migrants as Mexican nationals illegally present in the United States.

“None of the individuals that were taken into custody were wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) when found,” Laredo Sector officials said in a written statement. “The individuals were provided PPE and were medically screened.”

“With a noted increase in COVID-19 infections, human smugglers continue to place individuals in close quarters without PPE,” officials continued. “This not only endangers the people being smuggled but the safety of our Nation.”