EL PASO, Texas – El Paso Sector U.S. Border Patrol Agents discovered more stash houses this week.
On August 8, the Border Patrol Ysleta Station Anti-Smuggling Unit along with their counterparts at the Clint Station ASU, discovered a human smuggling stash house near North Loop Dr. and North Carolina Dr. Working in conjunction with Homeland Security Investigations, agents encountered 11 migrants, five from Guatemala, four from Mexico, two from El Salvador. An additional individual, from Mexico, was apprehended in this event and will be facing prosecution for harboring migrants under 8 USC 1324. An AR-15 rifle and a small amount of marijuana was found, as well, within the stash house.
On August 9, BP Agents assigned to the Clint Station ASU developed information stemming from the prior stash house event on Aug 8. This information led to a possible human smuggling stash house near Sean Haggarty Dr. and McCombs St.
When agents arrived at the trash-filled property, they discovered 25 adult migrants and 2 unaccompanied children. The migrants are from Mexico, El Salvador, Ecuador, and Guatemala. All migrants from both events were medically screened and evaluated. Those migrants amenable to Title 42 were expelled back to Mexico. Those not amenable to Title 42 expulsion were transported to the Central Processing Center to be processed under Title 8.
“The high number of stash houses discovered to date in our El Paso and New Mexico region is alarming,” said El Paso Sector Chief Patrol Agent Gloria I. Chavez. “Our Border Patrol Agents from the El Paso Sector and our partners like Homeland Security Investigations will continue to rescue migrants from the merciless tactics of these Transnational Criminal Organizations.”
These stash houses, along with one discovered on August 5, add to the more than 193 stash houses discovered during Fiscal Year 2022. The disruption of stash houses has led to the rescue or interception of more than 2,126 migrants this Fiscal Year.
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.
