9 roofers arrested on immigration charges

Associated Press

5:00 a.m. CDT, April 29, 2011


HIAWATHA, Iowa— Federal Immigration officials say nine roofers have been arrested in the middle of a job in Hiawatha for being in the country illegally.

KCRG-TV in Cedar Rapids says the roofers were arrested Wednesday morning, after they had removed about 80 percent of the shingles from a house.

Immigration and Custom Enforcement officials say the workers are from Mexico and are now in custody. Three of the cases have been referred to the U.S. attorney's office .

The workers were employed by a subcontractor for Eastern Iowa Construction. Company president Jeremy Bleeker says his business went through an ICE inspection nine months ago and received a clean record. He says the arrests "came out of the blue."

ICE officials say if the workers can't provide documentation Bleeker could be held liable.

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