Bay State Had Months To Prepare For Immigration Raid


Web Editor: Rhonda Erskine, Online Content Producer
Created: 3/14/2007 1:54:58 PM
Updated: 3/14/2007 2:03:27 PM


Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick says state officials knew months in advance of a planned immigration raid at a New Bedford factory and adequately prepared for its repercussions.

But the governor says federal authorities hindered state response by failing to cooperate as the raid unfolded.

Since the round-up of 361 alleged illegal immigrants at the Michael Bianco Incorporated factory on March sixth, Patrick and members of the state's congressional delegation have repeated criticized U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials for failing to work with them.

Federal officials have maintained all along that they planned and prepared for the raid for months with the state.

But Patrick says the expected cooperation between the state and federal governments did not occur.

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