July 2, 2008, 5:22PM
Owners arrested after ICE raid at Houston company
2 leaders and 3 managers face charges after operation snares 166 workers


By JAMES PINKERTON
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle


Federal agents today arrested two owners and three managers of Action Rags USA, a Houston used-clothing and rag-sorting company where 166 undocumented workers were detained in an immigration raid last week, the U.S. Attorney's Office confirmed.

Charged were company owner Mabarik Kahlon, 45; his partner and uncle, Rasheed Ahmed, 58; manager Cirila Barron, 38; resource manager Valerie Rodriguez, 34, and warehouse supervisor Mayra Herrera-Gutierrez, 32.

They are charged with conspiracy to harbor illegal immigrants, inducing illegal immigrants to come into the country, as well as illegal hiring practices.

According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Houston, the government alleges ''the defendants were involved in a pattern and practice of hiring a number of illegal aliens to work at the plant and knowingly accepting false documents as proof of citizenship."

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in Houston confirmed the arrests late Wednesday, but referred questions about specific charges to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

''Work site enforcement investigations are worked in multiple stages," said Robert Rutt, Special Agent in Charge of ICE criminal investigations in Houston.

''Often times, the most visible stage is the search warrant execution and arrest of illegal aliens. The next step, the arrest of owners and managers, comes after a review of the evidence and other investigative leads."

Those arrested are scheduled to be brought before a federal magistrate for an initial appearance Thursday morning. All are in custody at a federal detention center in Houston except for Ahmed, who was released on his own recognizance because of poor health.

The ICE raid at Action Rags, located at 1225 Port Houston, was one of the largest in Houston history and involved more than 200 federal agents. It took place a little over two months after ICE agents surrounded a Shipley Do-Nuts distribution facility on the north side and arrested 20 workers.

A Richmond attorney, who represents the company in civil matters, said he had spent months working with Action Rags to make sure their work force was legal.

''They are totally innocent of any wrongdoing, and have attempted through the legal process, of absolutely honoring all laws," William F. Estes said. ''I am their civil attorney, and they came to me, and we have met numerous times to make sure they don't stumble."

Estes said employers are placed in a tough position of trying to verify the legal status of workers, while not violating federal employment laws that prevent discrimination based on national origin.

james.pinkerton@chron.com


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