Thread: TX: 20 arrested in federal roundup

20 arrested in federal roundup
Employees face deportation; chain working with ICE
JAMES PINKERTON and SUSAN CARROLL

Houston’s iconic Shipley Do-Nuts is known to generations of loyal customers for its sweet glazed pastries.

But Wednesday, the family-owned chain found itself in the spotlight of an emotional national issue when federal agents raided the company’s Houston headquarters and arrested 20 suspected illegal immigrants employed at the facility.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents — in a caravan of 50 vehicles, detention vans and an ambulance — swarmed Shipley’s office and warehouse complex on North Main Street at 5 a.m. A government helicopter circled overhead as the Shipley workers were led away in handcuffs to face civil charges of being in the country illegally.

The Houston bust took place at the same time ICE agents conducted raids of chicken processing plants in East Texas, Arkansas, Florida, West Virginia and Tennessee.

In all, 290 workers were arrested during raids at Texas-based Pilgrims Pride plants on suspicion of identify theft, document fraud and immigration violations, the agency said.

ICE officials released few details of the Shipley investigation, saying only that it would continue.

Employers who knowingly hire unauthorized workers can face criminal charges and fines. The workers arrested Wednesday face deportation.

“It’s a worksite enforcement operation,â€

I was happy at first to see a Houston company raided for employing illegal workers. But look at the cost of arresting 20 illegal immigrants. There were 50 police cars, transport vans, an ambulance and a helicopter-for Pete's sake.

Now I believe it was all for show and ICE can testify that these workplace enforcement raids are too expensive to continue.

Does anyone else think the timing, with the arrival of the POPE in Washington, played a part in the countrywide raids?

Border states need much, much more enforcement. We have huge industries here employing thousands of illegal immigrants. Something is better than nothing, but come on,....20 ????

Originally Posted by Texan123

Border states need much, much more enforcement. We have huge industries here employing thousands of illegal immigrants. Something is better than nothing, but come on,....20 ????

$108.2 million is spent each year by U.S. border counties in the four state region to pay for law enforcement, criminal justice and emergency healthcare services to illegal immigrants, states a February 2008 report from the United States/Mexico Border Counties Coalition (USMBCC). Current federal reimbursement returns only 11.5 cents on the dollar to counties for handling criminal illegal immigrant services.

From 1999 through 2006, the 24 counties along the U.S.-Mexico border spent a cumulative $1.23 billion on services to process criminal undocumented immigrants through the law enforcement and criminal justice system. In fiscal year 2006 alone, the cost was $192 million. Yet, the federal government has only reimbursed these 24 counties $4.7 million for detaining criminal undocumented immigrants for fiscal year 2006 (and $54.8 million since 1999). These are staggering costs considering the rural nature and poverty level of most of these border counties. The costs to process undocumented immigrants come at the expense of basic, vital services to county residents. (Undocumented Immigrants in U.S. Border Counties: The Costs of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Services; U.S.-Mexico Border Counties Coalition February 200