Thread: OH: 16 Citizens Of Mexico Plead Guilty To Illegally Entering

http://wcpo.com/news/2007/local/01/26/immigration.html

16 Citizens Of Mexico Plead Guilty To Illegally Entering U.S.


Reported by: Tom McKee
Web produced by: Laura Hornsby
Photographed by: Scott Wegener
First posted: 1/26/2007 12:01:03 PM
Sixteen citizens of Mexico have pleaded guilty to illegally entering the United States to work in Greater Cincinnati.

All 16 were arrested November 29 in Florence and Covington as they went to work for companies that still haven't publicly been named.

However, as part of a negotiated plea in court on Friday morning, they have all agreed to be material witnesses in an ongoing investigation.

The men and women were released at about 11:00 a.m. after hearing that they'll be under the guidance of the probation department for the next year.

All 16 have hired an immigration attorney who is working on allowing them to become permanent residents of the United States.

Their attorneys don't believe the workers are a risk to flee the country because they want to stay in the United States permanently.

The men and women are moving to a new and undisclosed location in Northern Kentucky.

Officials say the investigation is far from over.

All 16 have hired an immigration attorney who is working on allowing them to become permanent residents of the United States.

This is outrageous! No illegal immigrant should be placed on a path to citizenship while residing within the United States.