U.S. man pleads guilty to role in B.C. freight train cross-border human smuggling scheme
As U.S. President-elect Donald Trump continues to accuse Canada of failing to secure its border with the United States, a recent case in Oregon sheds light on the intricate network of human smuggling operations that span both sides of the border. Jesus Ortiz-Plata, a Mexican national residing in Oregon, has recently pleaded guilty to conspiring to transport dozens of undocumented migrants who were smuggled across the British Columbia border by foot and freight train.
Ortiz-Plata’s plea deal involves admitting to assisting at least 25 individuals in staying in Washington state illegally in exchange for a sentence of up to 18 months in jail. The charges against him are related to seven separate cross-border smuggling cases, including instances where large groups of people were found hiding in rail cars among bulk plastic pellets.
The investigation into Ortiz-Plata began when his phone number was linked to multiple human smuggling cases dating back to September 2022. Two Mexican nationals, who were apprehended during a smuggling operation, revealed that a “Canadian-based facilitator” provided them with Ortiz-Plata’s contact information and arranged for his assistance in transporting them to Oregon after their illegal entry into the United States.
Special Agent David Spitzer, who led the case, outlined two significant train smuggling events involving Ortiz-Plata. The first incident in August 2023 included 28 Mexicans and one Colombian, while the second three months later involved 13 Mexicans who attempted to flee when their train was stopped by U.S. customs agents. Ortiz-Plata’s name surfaced as a contact for the migrants arrested in both cases.
Surveillance of Ortiz-Plata’s activities revealed his involvement in transporting suspected migrants between hotels and residences in Oregon and Washington. In one instance, he was caught with three undocumented migrants from Honduras and India, all of whom stated that they had been smuggled into the U.S. through Vancouver.
The court documents indicate that Ortiz-Plata and his associates would pick up migrants at the border and instruct them to hide within the railroad cars of freight trains for transportation to various U.S. locations. While the documents do not identify individuals involved in Canadian smuggling operations, they highlight the collaboration between Canadian-based smugglers and U.S.-based associates like Ortiz-Plata.
The increase in apprehensions of individuals crossing the land border from British Columbia to the United States underscores the growing challenge of border security. U.S. Border Patrol figures show a significant rise in the number of individuals caught attempting to cross the border in recent years, indicating the prevalence of human smuggling operations in the region.
Ortiz-Plata is set to be sentenced in February, shedding light on the complexities of cross-border human smuggling and the ongoing efforts to combat illegal immigration. The case serves as a reminder of the need for enhanced border security measures to address the persistent threats posed by criminal organizations involved in human trafficking.
