A Brownsville couple is behind bars after authorities found 16 undocumented immigrants from Central America and Sri Lanka inside their home.
U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested Alejandro Gomez-Gaona and Irys Deniesse Nino on human smuggling charges on Tuesday.
Court records released in the case show that an investigation led ICE agents to a duplex on the 2300 block of Las Casas Street.
Agents found 16 immigrants from Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Sri Lanka.
Both Gomez-Gaona and Nino are accused of being caretakers for the Houston-bound immigrants.
Gomez-Gaona, Nino and two immigrants being held as witnesses appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Felix Recio in Brownsville.
Court records show that Nino rented the duplex for Gomez-Gaona, who is an illegal immigrant from Mexico.
Judge Recio denied bond for Gomez-Gaona and Nino until a Friday morning hearing but granted the two immigrants held as witnesses $5,000 dollar bonds.
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