Officials rescue 37 immigrants from SoCal house

By The Associated Press
Wednesday, September 8, 2010 at 3:49 p.m.

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Authorities say they have rescued more than three dozen immigrants locked inside a boarded up bedroom in a Southern California drop house.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said Wednesday some of the 37 immigrants from six Latin American countries had been held for weeks in the 10-by-10-foot room in Riverside and had gone several days without food.

Authorities say they began searching for the house after a caller reported smugglers had threatened to kill his relative when the family could not pay for his release.

Debra Parker, assistant special agent in charge for ICE Homeland Security Investigations in Riverside, says six suspected illegal immigrants were also arrested for investigation of the house, which was searched Tuesday afternoon.

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