BELGRADE, MT — Homeland Security Investigations agents arrested a Belgrade woman Thursday on federal charges of harboring undocumented aliens, according to HSI Denver’s official social media account.
Eustolia Cassareal was taken into custody during a joint operation involving HSI Montana agents, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and state and local law enforcement partners.
The arrest took place at a residence in Belgrade, where approximately eight other individuals appeared to be detained during the operation, based on images shared by HSI.
“Harboring illegal aliens is a federal crime,” HSI Denver stated in announcing the arrest.
The operation represents the latest in a series of immigration enforcement actions across Montana this year. In July, a Shelby woman was convicted in federal court on charges related to harboring undocumented aliens in a case that spanned multiple counties from the Canadian border to Helena.
HSI agents have conducted several high-profile arrests in Montana in recent months, including the June arrest of a previously deported Mexican national in Kalispell and the detention of a Honduran national in Helena following reports of an attempted kidnapping and vehicle ramming incident.
Federal authorities have not released additional details about the specific charges against Cassareal or the circumstances that led to the investigation. The case will be prosecuted in federal court.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.