5/21/2014
.jpg?w=440&h=330&aspect=nostretch "Border Patrol spokesperson Danny Tirado")
Action4 News learned that one of the illegal immigrants stashed at an Edinburg house managed to escape around 7:30 Tuesday morning, and went to seek help at a local business down the road.
Border patrol loaded up 45 undocumented immigrants from a stash house on the 3800 block of Tagle Street early Tuesday.
“Just the fact of having 50 individuals in a house that size- it’s a hazard," said Border Patrol spokesperson Danny Tirado.
Authorities said a man escaped and knocked on the door of a local business desperate for help.
That business did not want to be identified for fear of retaliation, but those who work there talked to Action4 News.
They said the immigrant claimed that in the past, over a hundred people were crammed into the little house.
He snuck out when the caretakers fell asleep.
He said they had gone four days without food and water.
"Usually the way it works is the caretaker will threaten them not to leave the house, not to make any noise," explained Tirado.
Tirado said the immigrants in this particular house were being held against their will.
He also said it's becoming more common.
“Lately, the smugglers and caretakers have been utilizing this method to extort family members of illegal immigrants for more money. They are forcing them into stash houses and holding them there until they do obtain that additional money," said Tirado.
Agents said luckily the activity was reported fairly quickly.
The outcome could have been much worse.
"Most of the residents inside that house appear to be in good health. Fortunately, they haven’t been there 10 to 15 days," said Tirado.
Border Patrol said the majority of people stashed away in that house are from Mexico and Central America.
They also said they have one suspected smuggler in custody.
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