Texas: More Than 20 Human Smuggling Victims Found Naked and Starving in Forth Worth Home, Suspects Arrested
Fort Worth police have broken up a massive human trafficking ring in Texas as authorities managed to rescue 27 people late last Wednesday. The people were seemingly smuggled across the border, and authorities found them all naked and starving.
The migrants were reported from various countries, including El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that they were released to members of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), who were able to pay for them to stay in hotel rooms so they would not be able to face the freezing Texas cold. They also provided some food to the human smuggling victims.
LULAC district director in Dallas, Hilda Duarte, released a statement to the media saying that they have also given medical help to the victims, in addition to giving them essential basics. The migrants were also given a chance to connect with family living in the United States.
Pregnant Woman and Three-Year-Old Girl Among the Human Trafficking Victims Found in the Texas Home
Among those found in that Fort Worth home are a mother and her young 3-year-old daughter. The girl was allegedly still breastfeeding but was found malnourished as the mother could not provide any milk anymore.
Blaze Media reported that among the trafficked immigrants was also a pregnant woman. She was found with the other illegal immigrants, including the 3-year-old girl, stripped naked inside the house as freezing winter weather was blasting through Texas.
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LULAC President Domingo Garcia stated they were all found to be "stripped naked, unfed, cold, and scared, and held hostage." Meanwhile, Duarte added, "their clothes were taken from them ... to keep them from escaping and leaving the home."
Reports indicate that the migrants have been held inside the home for at least two days without food. The conditions inside became so bad that the mother could not produce any more breastmilk for her daughter due to extreme starvation.
The immigrants were also given temporary immunity from deportation as they were victims of a crime that happened on U.S. soil. They also have the chance to be granted asylum in the United States now that this has happened to them.
Two Suspects in Human Trafficking Scheme Arrested
The investigation into the incident is still ongoing, and CBS News has reported that the FBI is already involved in it. They also confirmed that Fort Worth police have already arrested two individuals connected to the human smuggling/human trafficking scheme.
The arrested individuals were identified as Carlos Plata Ibarra, 35, and Gonzalo Ramirez, 33. They were identified as "Cayotes" who are tasked to transport migrants across the U.S.-Mexico border illegally. They were arrested inside the house where the migrants were held.
The two suspects have also been charged with smuggling of persons. However, it remains unclear when they are expected to appear in court.
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This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Rick Martin
WATCH: FBI raids Fort Worth home and finds 21 victims of human trafficking - WFAA
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