64 Migrants Apprehended in Smuggling Incidents over Christmas Weekend in Texas near Border

Rio Grande Valley Sector Border Patrol agents teamed up with state and local law enforcement over the Christmas holidays to disrupt six human smuggling attempts. The actions led to the arrest of 64 people.

Rio Grande City Border Patrol Station agents received a request for assistance on Christmas Day from the Roma Police Department regarding a possible human smuggling stash house. When agents arrived at the Roma, Texas, residence, they encountered a large group of migrants, according to information obtained from Rio Grande Valley Sector Border Patrol officials.

#USBP agents and Roma PD officers disrupted a stash house operation resulting in the arrest of 39 illegal aliens. The residence was crowded, dirty, and no PPE was available for those inside.https://t.co/VLctvWFKqM pic.twitter.com/D0ZR8rIKBA

— Chief Patrol Agent Brian Hastings (@USBPChiefRGV) December 28, 2020

Agents conducted immigration interviews and identified the 39 people as illegal immigrants being warehoused for transportation into the U.S. interior.

A Texas Department of Public Safety trooper contacted Border Patrol for assistance after stopping a suspected human smuggling vehicle. Agents arrived on the scene and identified seven migrants as being illegally present in the United States.

One day earlier, Border Patrol in the sector disrupted four additional human smuggling incidents. The incidents stemmed from a stash house investigation and three smuggling attempts at interior immigration checkpoints. These cases resulted in the arrest of seven additional illegal immigrants.

All of the apprehended migrants were taken into custody and processed under Title 42 Coronavirus protection protocols put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In total, the agents disrupted six human smuggling attempts and took 64 migrants into custody.

Officials did not disclose the nationality of the migrants or if any human smugglers were arrested.