CINCINNATI -- Immigration agents raided a poultry packaging facility in Fairfield, Ohio, early Tuesday and arrested scores of illegal immigrants who were working there.
The raid, one of the largest of its kind this year in Greater Cincinnati, is part of a two-year investigation into the hiring practices at Chicago-based Koch Foods Inc.
Immigration officials described Koch Foods as an "egregious violator" of U.S. immigration laws, which means the company is suspected of knowingly hiring undocumented workers.
Brian Moskowitz, a special agent in charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for Ohio and Michigan, said agents arrived with search warrants and seized documents and other materials that could be used to build a criminal case against company officials. Search warrants also were served at the company's Chicago offices.
"We're going to look wherever the evidence takes us," Moskowitz said. "No one gets a free pass."
Monte Lobb, a spokesman for the company's Fairfield facility, said he has been trying for several years to weed out illegal immigrants. He said he attempted to work with government agencies but received little help.
"The government won't work with me," he said.
Lobb said agents detained more than half of the 200 employees working when the raid began -- many of whom he believes are here legally.
"I'm against illegals," Lobb said. "I'm not going to do anything to break the law, but people get false papers."
Moskowitz said agents will focus on detaining and processing the illegal immigrants rounded up at the facility, where chicken is packaged for sale around the country.
Fairfield and West Chester police departments cooperated with ICE agents in the raids. Many of those arrested will be questioned and processed at a converted garage at the West Chester Police Department.
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The raid, one of the largest of its kind this year in Greater Cincinnati, is part of a two-year investigation into the hiring practices at Chicago-based Koch Foods Inc.
Immigration officials described Koch Foods as an "egregious violator" of U.S. immigration laws, which means the company is suspected of knowingly hiring undocumented workers.
Brian Moskowitz, a special agent in charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for Ohio and Michigan, said agents arrived with search warrants and seized documents and other materials that could be used to build a criminal case against company officials. Search warrants also were served at the company's Chicago offices.
"We're going to look wherever the evidence takes us," Moskowitz said. "No one gets a free pass."
Monte Lobb, a spokesman for the company's Fairfield facility, said he has been trying for several years to weed out illegal immigrants. He said he attempted to work with government agencies but received little help.
"The government won't work with me," he said.
Lobb said agents detained more than half of the 200 employees working when the raid began -- many of whom he believes are here legally.
"I'm against illegals," Lobb said. "I'm not going to do anything to break the law, but people get false papers."
Moskowitz said agents will focus on detaining and processing the illegal immigrants rounded up at the facility, where chicken is packaged for sale around the country.
Fairfield and West Chester police departments cooperated with ICE agents in the raids. Many of those arrested will be questioned and processed at a converted garage at the West Chester Police Department.
Discuss Add this link to... Bury
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