15 migrants rescued from overcrowded stash house in New Mexico, Border Patrol says

Fifteen migrants were found and "rescued" from a stash house in New Mexico, Border Patrol announced. "Smugglers carelessly force, extort, and overcrowd migrants inside houses," said Border Patrol's El Paso Sector Chief Anthony Scott Good on X, sharing a photograph of the raid, which took place in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

Authorities explained the operation was carried out as a result of a combined effort by Border Patrol's Las Cruces Anti-Smuggling Unit, New Mexico State Police, and the Doña Ana County Sheriff's Office. Authorities have yet to release additional details about the operation, including when and where it occurred, and whether any arrests were made.

El Paso Sector Border Patrol units have been particularly active this year. "So far in Fiscal Year 2024, 244 stash houses have been found with 2,389 apprehensions in the El Paso Sector, which includes all of New Mexico," Good noted in his publication.

Border Patrol has reported a sharp incline on stash house raids during the last five years. In FY 2020 the agency recorded a total of 66 such raids. In 2023 this number rapidly went up to 280.

Alejandro Caceres, an organizer for a chapter of the Texas Sanctuary Network, frequently works with immigrants who have been "rescued" from stash houses across the southwest border. In an interview with the Latin Times, Caceres said many migrants mistakenly believe that being held in a stash house is a mandatory part of their journey.

"They think being kidnapped and paying ransom is mandatory when trying to cross the border, that is a big part of the problem" he said, adding that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) can do more to assist them. "They are human trafficking victims, I've worked with survivors who have been sent to the police after being rescued, and some who were deported."

In a recent article Dr. Jarod Sadulski, a Security and Global Studies professor at the American Military University, noted that stash houses play a crucial role in human trafficking along the Southwest border and "can be difficult to detect because they often blend seamlessly into neighborhoods."

Sadulski listed several signs that could help the public identify these locations, such as unkempt yards, overflowing mailboxes, and the presence of vehicles like vans and pickup trucks entering garages at odd hours.

Suspicious activity related to human trafficking can be reported to Customs and Border Protection at 1-866-347-2423 or through an online tip form. Victims of human trafficking can receive support from the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.