Human Smuggling Stash Houses Busted at Opposite Ends of Texas-Mexico Border

Border Patrol agents in the Rio Grande Valley and El Paso Sectors disrupted multiple human smuggling stash houses this week. The raids led to the apprehension of dozens of migrants and the arrest of human smugglers.

Rio Grande Valley Sector agents received information on July 19 regarding a possible human smuggling stash house operation in a residence in Alton, Texas. The agents teamed up with Alton police officers and Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office deputies to investigate, according to information obtained from Border Patrol officials.

The law enforcement team made entry into the residence and found 13 migrants being held in captivity. While now caretaker for the property was identified, the agents identified the migrants as citizens of El Salvador and Mexico. All were illegally present in the United States.

Several hours later, agents received information about another stash house operation in McAllen, Texas. A law enforcement team made entry to this residence and found 35 migrants inside. Agents identified the migrants as citizens of El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico. Again, no caretaker was present at the time of the inspection.

At the opposite end of the state, El Paso Sector agents teamed up with Texas Department of Homeland Security troopers and ICE Homeland Security Investigations special agents to apprehend 59 migrants and three human smugglers, according to a tweet by El Paso Sector Chief Patrol Agent Gloria I. Chavez.

The video tweeted by Chief Chavez shows the inhumane conditions human smugglers force the migrants to endure. Those packed into the crowded conditions included multiple minors.