Texas Border Business
RIO GRANDE CITY, Texas – Rio Grande Valley Sector agents working together with the Starr County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) discover and shutdown an illegal alien stash house operation.
Yesterday evening, Rio Grande Valley Sector agents received information of a residence in Rio Grande City, Texas, being used as a human smuggling stash house. Agents working in collaboration with the SCSO responded to the location. Upon arrival and entry, agents and officers discovered 43 illegal aliens inside. Agents identified illegal aliens to be from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. Among the group were five unaccompanied juveniles. The subjects were found in cramped conditions, inflatable beds were set up in the garage where multiple subjects were forced to sleep. The amount of strangers confined to one area, and the lack of personal protective equipment, can potentially lead to a super spreader situation for COVID-19.
Careless behavior from human smugglers does not end with the physical danger imposed on the people they smuggle. Every smuggled person makes numerous close contacts with individuals throughout their journey (foot guide, vehicle driver, stash house operator, etc.). Facilitating the furtherance of a person, or a group of persons, into the United States not only creates a health risk to those immediately involved, but to the local population and communities of final destination.
While the people of the Rio Grande Valley work diligently to control the number of COVID-19 infections, illegal alien apprehensions in the area are on the rise. The criminal organization’s blatant disregard for the health and safety of others threaten to erase all the progress made and will prevent our community from recovering from this virus.
Border Patrol processed the case and subjects accordingly.
The public is encouraged to take a stand against crime in their communities and report suspicious activity at 800-863-9382.
Even with the spread of the COVID-19 virus, human smugglers continue to try these brazen attempts with zero regard for the lives they endanger nor to the health of the citizens of our great nation. The U.S. Border Patrol agents of the Rio Grande Valley Sector will continue to safeguard the nation and community against these criminal elements.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control, and protection of our nation’s borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.
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