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U.S. NEWS Thursday 21 June 2018

Over 100 arrested in immigration raid at meatpacking plant

By JOHN SEEWER Several of those who were
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — More detained were processed
than 100 workers were ar- and released on Tuesday
rested at an Ohio meat- because they are the sole
packing plant by federal care providers of children
agents following a year- or they have health con-
long immigration investiga- cerns, Walls said.
tion, the second large raid Dustin White, a pastor in
in the state in the past two Canton whose ministry
weeks. reaches out to dozens of
The investigation focused Guatemalans working at
on whether the company Fresh Mark, said he was
knowingly hired people told by families that some
who are in the country il- workers were detained at
legally and used fake the Canton plant as well.
identities belonging to U.S. "From what I saw and
citizens to get their jobs, Im- heard they say their loved
migration and Customs En- ones haven't come home,"
forcement officials said. White said a day after the
The arrests Tuesday come raid. "In many ways, the
as the U.S. government dust hasn't settled."
steps up its focus on busi- No criminal charges have
nesses that hire people in been filed against Fresh
the country illegally as part Mark, but authorities say
of a broad range of immi- the investigation is continu- In this image provided by Jodie Bowers, detainees are escorted into an Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE) facility, early Wednesday, June 20, 2018, in Brooklyn Heights, Ohio.
gration crackdowns under ing. Associated Press
Republican President Don- The company makes ba-
ald Trump. con, hot dogs, ham and employers ensures a law-
The 146 arrests in one of the lunch meat for the Sugar- ful workforce," Fresh Mark's
largest workplace immigra- dale and Superior's brands. statement said.
tion raids in recent years The company referred The agency said members
happened at Fresh Mark's questions to federal au- of the program aren't im-
meat processing plant thorities, but noted in a mune from prosecution for
in Salem, in northeastern statement that Fresh Mark workforce compliance vio-
Ohio. Immigration agents is a member of Immigra- lations.
and local authorities also tion and Customs Enforce- "Unlawful employment
carried out search war- ment's self-policing pro- is one of the key mag-
rants at the company's two gram that's described as a nets drawing illegal aliens
other locations in Massillon way for employers to verify across our borders," said
and its plant in Canton. workers are in the country Steve Francis, head of U.S.
Most of the workers arrest- legally and to spot fraudu- Immigration and Customs
ed were from Guatema- lent documents. Enforcement's Homeland
la, said Khaalid Walls, an "This program between the Security Investigations unit
agency spokesman. US government and private in Detroit.
Two weeks ago, immigra-
tion agents arrested 114
people at a garden and
landscaping company
in northern Ohio. Authori-
ties said they planned to
charge workers for crimes
including identity theft and
tax evasion.
In December, a 62-year-
old Guatemalan national
was killed at the Canton
plant after he stepped into
a chute and got caught in
a waste auger, according
to authorities.q