Sunday, Aug. 17, 2008 , 12:00 a.m. Work site arrests and deportations continue to rise


By: Perla Trevizo
(Contact)
In 2002, 510 people were arrested at work sites nationwide for violating U.S. immigration laws.

In the past 11 months, almost 5,000 have been arrested for the same thing, a tenfold increase. Included in that number are the 311 Pilgrim’s Pride workers arrested April 16 in five states, 100 in Chattanooga.

Over the last several years, immigration officials have redoubled their efforts to detain and deport illegal immigrants, Assistant Field Office Director Scott Sutterfield, from the Office of Detention and Removal in New Orleans, has said.

He credited “fugitive operations teamsâ€