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Federal Agents Raid Mishawaka Business


Federal agents raided a Michiana business on Tuesday arresting three dozen illegal immigrants.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials arrived at Janco Composites Tuesday morning in Mishawaka.

They arrested 36 illegal immigrants, 35 from Mexico and one from El Salvador.

They also collected boxes of information from the business.

The raid helps mark a change in the way ICE operates.

Now instead of fining these businesses they file criminal charges for money laundering, harboring illegal immigrants, and hiring illegal immigrants.

ICE spokesperson Gail Montenegro says, "We know that the majority of employers here in the U.S. want to comply with the laws and are complying with the laws as best as they can. But we are going to focus our efforts on those egregious violators of the immigration laws."

ICE officials say they received a tip leading them to this business.

The 36 illegal immigrants arrested are now in the deportation process.

Updated: March 6, 2007, 5:29 pm