Authorities Bust Human Smuggling Operation in Mission, Texas

MISSION, Texas – U.S. Border Patrol and the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office disrupted a human smuggling operation on December 19, 2025, at a suspected stash house in Mission, TX. Upon entry, officers discovered 24 individuals staged for transport, officials said.

The detainees were from multiple countries, including China, Cuba, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Mexico. This shows proof that the cartels are transnational criminal organizations.

The suspected smuggler is facing prosecution for alien smuggling, while the individuals found at the stash house will be processed for deportation. For those being deported, it means loosing the money they paid to the cartels to facilitate the illegal entry into the U.S.