In a raid conducted by the FBI shortly before Christmas, almost two dozen illegal immigrants were rescued, and two suspects were arrested and taken into custody. The home was believed to be a stopping point in a human trafficking scheme.
In the southeastern part of Fort Worth, FBI agents raided the home in the 1800 block of Miller Avenue on December 21. In horrendous conditions, they discovered at least 21 illegal immigrants from Honduras.
According to CBS Dallas, they were being held against their will.
The victims were described as being unclothed and subjected to horrific conditions. As reported by the outlet, Domingo Garcia, the national president of the League of United Latin American Citizens, the illegal immigrants were all “stripped naked, unfed, cold, scared, and held hostage.” The victims included a pregnant woman and a 3-year-old girl.
In addition, Hilda Duarte of LULAC explained that the victims had their clothes removed to keep them from “escaping and leaving the home.”
The group was reported to have been without food for at least two days. As the situation worsened, the 3-year-old girl, who relied on her mother for breast milk, couldn’t get nourishment from her mother any longer because her body had stopped producing milk.
As reported by The Blaze, only seven to ten females, including the little girl, were rescued in the raid. The rest were male. Medical care and food have been provided to the group. As part of its effort to keep the victims out of the cold, LULAC has also provided hotel rooms for the victims.
Temporary immunity from deportation has been granted to all immigrants because of the alleged crimes against them. The United States will also allow them to apply for asylum.
Two suspects have already been arrested in connection with the raid. Carlos Plata Ibarra, 35, and Gonzalo Ramirez, 33, were arrested at the Fort Worth home by the FBI. Both men have been charged with smuggling of persons across the southern U.S. border. Duarte and others have called them “coyotes.”
Court dates are not known at this time. This is an ongoing investigation.