EL PASO, Texas – El Paso Sector Border Patrol Agents disrupted human smuggling schemes and discovered multiple human stash houses, that totaled 93 migrants encountered in the last several days.
On July 5, U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector Intelligence Unit, Santa Teresa Station Anti-Smuggling Unit and El Paso Station agents received information of possible smuggled migrants being harbored in the Segundo Barrio area. Agents arrived at the location and encountered 13 migrants from Guatemala, El Salvador and Ecuador hidden inside a small property.
Later the same day, Santa Teresa Station ASU, El Paso Sector Special Operations Division and El Paso Sector Intelligence Unit agents disrupted a human smuggling scheme in Sunland Park, New Mexico. Agents discovered 10 smuggled migrants crammed into a small GMC sports utility vehicle. From this event, agents gathered information that led to the discovery of another 15 migrants hidden in a small room of an apartment complex near Chamizal Park. The smuggled migrants encountered in these events were from Mexico, Guatemala and El Salvador.
The next day, El Paso Sector Integrated Targeting Team, El Paso SIU, Santa Teresa and Las Cruces ASU, along with Texas Department of Public Safety and Homeland Security Investigations agents encountered 25 smuggled migrants inside a house near Ascarate Park. The agents were guided to the stash house by information previously gathered from a smuggling scheme disrupted in far west El Paso earlier that morning. That event resulted in 16 smuggled migrants encountered, crowded inside two sedan vehicles.
All migrants were medically screened and evaluated. Those migrants amenable to Title 42 were expelled back to Mexico and others transported to the Central Processing Center to be processed under Title 8.
“U.S. Border Patrol in the El Paso Sector continues to bust dangerous human smuggling organizations located in residential communities throughout El Paso, Texas. Sheltering migrants in unsanitary and unsafe conditions is a common practice by Transnational Criminal Organizations that disregard the safety of the migrants they exploit,” said El Paso Sector Chief Patrol Agent Gloria I. Chavez. “Community and local law enforcement support is fundamental to identify these dangerous criminal activities in our community. We appreciate the assistance we receive from the public in disrupting these criminal smuggling organizations.”
During Fiscal Year 2022, Border Patrol Agents in El Paso Sector have located more than 156 stash houses, leading to the rescue or interception of 1,684 migrants.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection welcomes assistance from the community. Citizens are encouraged to report suspicious activity to the U.S. Border Patrol while remaining anonymous by calling 1-800-635-2509.