More than 140 undocumented migrants found in 2 Texas stash houses 

The Texas Department of Public Safety and the U.S. Border Patrol found more than 140 undocumented immigrants held in two stash houses near El Paso this weekend, authorities said.  

On Sunday, agents from the two agencies received a tip on a potential stash house being used for human trafficking in El Paso. Upon entering the house, agents found several migrants inside, according to a press release by DPS spokesman Lt. Christopher Olivarez. 

"A search of the home resulted in a total of 95 migrants, 74 males and 19 females, including 2 minors. All migrants were referred to Border Patrol and the manager was charged federally with Title 8 USC 1324 Harboring Illegal Aliens."

In a separate operation, the Ysleta Station Anti-Smuggling Units discovered a scheme that involved 51 migrants being kept at a local residence near North Loop Drive and North Zaragoza Road, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection EL Paso Sector Chief Anthony “Scott” Good. 

The migrants in the stash house came from Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador, according to authorities. 

Two of the migrants were identified as caretakers of the residence and will be facing smuggling charges for their role in the scheme.

Ysleta Station Anti-Smuggling Units foiled a smuggling scheme w/ @TxDPS involving 51 migrants located inside a local residence. Subsequent interviews led to another stash house w/95 more migrants, totaling 146 migrants intercepted. That’s over 130 stash houses this FY23YTD! @CBP pic.twitter.com/gBKW2atDWE

— Anthony “Scott” Good (@USBPChiefEPT) April 3, 2023

"The citizens in our local El Paso community provide an important partnership to help us safeguard our city. We encourage anyone with information to report suspicious activity to our office. That one phone call could help save many lives," Good said in a statement.

Last week, Border Patrol agents found two stash houses in Laredo, Texas, which were holding more than two dozen undocumented migrants. After migrants were taken into custody and processed by authorities, record checks revealed that they had crossed the U.S.-Mexico border from Mexico and Guatemala. 

Border Patrol agents have discovered more than 130 stash houses holding over 1,800 migrants in the El Paso area so far this fiscal year, which began in October, according to official reports. 

Undocumented migrants found in stash houses are processed by Border Patrol agents for illegally entering the country and then deported.