News / Politics
Federal Agents Arrest Over 1,200 People in Alleged Immigration Violations
Federal agents raided meatpacking plants in six states on Tuesday and arrested over 1,200 people suspected of immigration violations and identity theft. According to U.S. authorities, the raids were meant as an attack on identity theft and not immigration violations. The massive early morning raids effectively shut down several of Swift & Co.’s meatpacking plants for the day.
Authorities did not arrest any Swift & Co. official.
Many of those arrested were charged with assuming the identities of U.S. citizens or legal residents by using their Social Security numbers to gain employment.
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said "This is not only a case about illegal immigration, which is bad enough, It's a case about identity theft and violation of the privacy rights and the economic rights of innocent Americans."
The raids occurred at Swift's headquarters in Greeley, Colo., and its plants in Grand Island, Neb.; Cactus, Texas; Hyrum, Utah; Marshalltown, Iowa; and Worthington, Minn.
Swift President and CEO Sam Rovit said “Swift has never condoned the employment of unauthorized workers, nor have we ever knowingly hired such individuals.”
