Public becoming more alert to illegal immigrant activity

04:24 PM CST on Sunday, November 14, 2004

By Mike Zientek / 11 News

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An anonymous tip led police to discover 31 illegal immigrants being held hostage in a motel room.

The men said they paid coyotes to get them into the country, but then their captors demanded more money.

Thirteen of the immigrants escaped while the others were taken into custody.

For the third time the past three weeks, police are investigating a case of illegal immigrants held as virtual prisoners.

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Jose Garcia and his 13-year-old son Oascar crossed a raging Rio Grande into Texas a month ago.

There were 31 discovered Friday night, packed into a motel room.

But 13 of them broke through a window and ran after officers arrived. The rest were taken into custody.

The people holding them were allegedly demanding money.

It all happened in the 12500 block of South Main.

It's not necessarily more immigrants coming in, as it is more people tipping off law enforcement.

The phone calls home are part of leaving a life in that country and starting a new one here.

Casa Juan Diego is a place, which can help immigrants find work and maybe even become citizens.

Jose Garcia was there helping his 13-year-old son Oscar with some homework. The two crossed a raging Rio Grande into Texas one month ago.

Mexico, Garcia said, provides no future.

"If you don't have a profession, it's very hard to find work. Besides, I want my son to get an education here," Garcia said (translated).

So Garcia is not surprised about the discovery of 31 undocumented immigrants Friday night.

Nor is he surprised about the 24 found in northeast Harris County last month. In both cases the immigrants had paid smugglers to make it in -- money Garcia didn't have.

"When you decide to pay a coyote you take a chance. Only God's hands can save you," said Garcia.

Immigration officials said they don't believe the number of immigrants coming into Houston is increasing, but they do believe public awareness of any activity is.

In all the recent incidents, police received a tip. Those at Casa Juan Diego also said their numbers aren't swelling, but they're not decreasing either.

"Well it would be great if it would go down. That means people have enough to eat in their countries and they can live there and aren't forced to immigrate," said Mark Zwick, Jose Garcia Diego.

Jose Garcia so wishes that could come true.

An Immigration Department spokeswoman said the 18 undocumented immigrants found Friday night will be fingerprinted, processed and eventually deported. She said it would be difficult for them to reenter legally because their information is now on record.

Authorities have not been able to find the 13 who got away.