37 illegal immigrants found in Riverside County drop house

Federal agents found 37 suspected illegal immigrants, smuggled into the U.S. from six countries, crammed into a small house in Riverside where some had been held captive for weeks, authorities said Wednesday.

Immigration agents raided the “drop house" after a relative of one of the captives called the Los Angeles Police Department. The caller told police the smugglers had threatened to kill his relative because the family failed to come up with enough money to pay for his release, according to Virginia Kice, spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Los Angeles.

Agents found the immigrants – including two toddlers and a baby -- inside a small bedroom, measuring about 10 feet by 12 feet. The room was locked from the outside. The home is in one of the city’s older neighborhoods along Martin Luther King Boulevard, about a mile east of the 91 Freeway.

“As far as we know, they were all in pretty good physical condition, though some reported that they had not eaten for days," said Claude Arnold, special agent in charge for ICE in Los Angeles.

Six suspected smugglers have been detained and are being questioned, but no arrests have been made, Arnold said.

“We’re still in the process of interviewing everyone," Arnold said. “In these circumstances, it does take some time to sort this out."

Agents took an additional seven immigrants linked to the same smuggling scheme into custody earlier in the day as they were being transported to other destinations in the Los Angeles area.

The 44 smuggled immigrants are from Guatemala El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic. The group included 34 adult men, four adult women and six juveniles. 

Those smuggled into the county illegally will eventually go though deportation proceedings. However, any immigrants who were assaulted by a smuggler or were victims of another crime will be treated as victims and could be eligible for a victims’ visa, he said.

-- Phil Willon in Riverside County

Photo: Riverside drop house. Credit: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement:

Comments

[Avril]

What the hell is a "victim's visa"?????? Yet another way in...

[Marlena]

"Victims' Visas" that's a bunch of BS deport them immediately we can't afford any more poor, illiterate unskilled breeders.

[Josue]

Isn't this also known as "human trafficking?" Why were no arrests made?

[Marcus Will]

Didn't the Department of Homeland Insecurity say the border was better protected? If that is the case, why are drop housing being found almost everyday all over the states?

[John DeSalvo]

A "victim's visa?" You've got to be kidding. Unbelievable how easy we make it to sneak into the country and start getting benefits.

[sacramentosteve]

37 found among hundreds of thousands in LA,they will all say they are victims and will be given visas.

[Chuckie P]

A victims Visa? geeze for crying out law they paid or were trying pay their way and entered illegally, why would you give them a pass because they got beaten on. They know the risks involved, why us tax payers having to pay for these people. The loop hole will be "just say you got beaten on and you can stay" Who came up with that law. I am tired of paying high taxes that go to the illegals that come here for the Welfare.

[Get over it]

Protesters from Westlake: Get on this.

Where's the outrage over human smuggling by your own people?

Oh wait, you got yours. So you don't care about them. Riiiiiiggggght....

[SteveLA]

It's not a a "Drop House", it's a "Clown House"...get your KFI John and Ken jargon correct LA Times.

It's also "Illegal Alien", not "Illegal Immigrant" while we're at it.

[FutureView]

"However, any immigrants who were assaulted by a smuggler or were victims of another crime will be treated as victims and could be eligible for a victims’ visa, - - "

OK, will all you illegals that were victimized please raise your hand. Lets see 36, 37, 38, 39. Hey, you last two were part of the coyotes. Oh well, we'll sort these names out later.

[Susie]

Oh, excuse me but I thought Obama said we didn't have a problem with the border but that we had fewer crossing over into our country than ever. What a joke! I'm from Texas and we have so many illegals in our state that English is the second language now. Enough is enough-we are tired of the crime, the free medical, free food stamps, free welfare, etc.

[MartyK]

They probably only made this bust because they're all hispanic. I'm sure the authorities are turning a blind eye to the Asian drop houses and the white European drop houses.

[Fred]

We are begging our idiot politicians to fix the broken immigration system.

Before folks jump into a chorus of "toss em all" or "let them all in", lets agree that neither of these will work.

Not really knowing anything about this, how about

- a guest worker program with a path to citizenship, reasonable but not perfect behavior required.

- fees to fund the process

- elimination of anchor babies policy, immediate deportation of those who enter illegally, no access to any public services (education, healthcare, etc )

[PGelsman]

Hey! Let's give them all welfare, free medical, job training etc.

(my sarcasm is showing)

[Orlando]

How sad that this kind of thing happends... Oh well im sure the stupid so called "Americans" will have nothing but negative things to say, and somehow the L.A. Times will still post their negative comments later on this page

[troy]

"However, any immigrants who were assaulted by a smuggler or were victims of another crime will be treated as victims and could be eligible for a victims’ visa, he said."

So, all they have to do is lie about being bi*ch-slapped by a coyote, and they get a free pass to stay in America. Uh boy, I give up.

[rmh]

victims visa?? What the ham sandwich??? next they will scam that too and fake injuries!!! Send them all back including the smugglers!! And surgically install tracking devices as a parting gift!! "Victims Visa" Get the (use your imagination) out of here!

[R]

Are you freaking kidding me???? So if they were apparently victims of a crime we are going to alow these illegals into the country to prosper and take advantage of our benefits. While in the process I'm sure they'll find a way to stay. Send them the hell back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Juan]

Ok. So, this is one finding when you do not know that there are hundreds-- like I said, HUNDREDS -- of these drop house all over California, Most of them right under your nose, in your area and you do not even know about it. Why?? -- cause they move them at night, about midnight till morning and you never know anything is going on unless you spot a van or bus at the home at 2 am in the morning.

C'mon California -- and the Feds. This is human trafficing --- legal or illegal -- they are bound and held against their will for labor in this country. THIS IS IT -- this NEEDS TO STOP RIGHT NOW -- RIGHT HERE -- or this state will be some third world hell hell with no end in sight with crime + trash + poverty and everything you read about in Mexico, Brazil, Haiti --- or it has it happedn already!!! Look at the other article about the riots in the LA streets from immigrants.

C'mon California -- this is YOUR future. Look at that photo again. That is who is living in your suburban communites and you just do not even know about it.

[wasp]

A victim's visa? You got to be kidding, who came up with that one?

[el tigrillo]

The Victim Visa, I'm guessing will probably given to sexual assualt victims ie the women and their children, which isn't uncommon in human trafficking. There's a reason only 4 out out of the 44 are women, it's way too dangerous for a woman out there to cross untouched.

[Steve Strehley]

future Obama voters

que bueno Obama

[CAN]

Did they finally arrest Mateo Gonzalez?

[Andy K]

Kick the entire political group out of office in November. Liberals view this picture and see one thing,,, votes.

[CAN]

.

ILLEGAL IS ILLEGAL!

NO VISA'S

What a ploy and BS.

Stop makes excuses and giving them E tickets to break the law.
What a load, playing the victims, and blame shift game!
Send them back from where they came..

...