Agents arrest 43 Mexican immigrants


Associated Press - July 22, 2008 2:34 PM ET

HONOLULU (AP) - Federal agents have arrested 43 male immigrant farm workers in Waipahu.

A raid on an apartment complex rounded up the men who authorities say are all Mexican citizens. They are being held in the federal detention center pending deportation hearings and possible charges.

Immigration and Customs special agent-in-charge Wayne Wills says it was the largest arrest in a single raid so far this year. He says all of the men worked for a business called the Farms.

Earlier immigration arrests included 22 restaurant workers on Maui and 19 construction workers in Honolulu.

Wills says the arrests are part of a crackdown on employers who use illegal immigrants.

Officials of the Farms could not immediately be reached for comment on the latest raid which took place on Sunday.

Information from: Honolulu Star-Bulletin, http://www.starbulletin.com

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