September 16, 2008

51 Arrested in ICE Raid in Florida

On September 10, 2008, more than 60 Immigration and Customs Enforcement ICE Officers conducted the raid at Palm Springs Baking Co. in Palms Springs, FL. The raid stems from an ongoing investigation that began in 2006. ICE officials claimed the purpose for the raid was an allegation that managers and supervisors at the company extorted money from undocumented immigrants by guaranteeing them a job if they paid $3,000. As a result of the raid, ICE officials arrested 51 individuals, including a current and former supervisor. The majority of the arrests were for persons allegedly living and working in the United States without the proper documentation. Of the 51 arrestees, only 27 were detained. The others were released on humanitarian grounds while they await an immigration hearing.

As always, GT will continue to provide updates on ICE’s continuing aggressive raids and enforcement efforts as they become available.