Raids in 6 States Met With Anger, Cheers

Dec 13, 5:31 AM (ET)
By KIM NGUYEN
AP Photo/Ed Andrieski

GREELEY, Colo. (AP) - Outside a meatpacking plant fence here, a frustrated Tony Garcia watched as Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents swarmed inside.

"We need help," he yelled to them. "We need answers."

There were few of those Tuesday as agents began their initial sweep through Swift & Co. plants in six states, arresting illegal immigrants who had bought or stolen other people's identities to help them get Swift jobs.

The raids capped a 10-month investigation into an identity-theft scheme that may have hundreds of victims, both U.S. citizens and legal residents, officials said.

No charges had been filed against Swift. In a written statement, President and CEO Sam Rovit said the company has never knowingly hired illegal workers and does not condone the practice.

Immigration officials last month informed Swift that it would remove unauthorized workers on Dec. 4, but Swift asked a federal judge to prevent agents from conducting the raid, arguing it would cause "substantial and irreparable injury" to its business.

Swift estimated that a raid would remove up to 40 percent of its 13,000 workers. After a closed hearing, a judge on Thursday rejected Swift's request, clearing the way for the raids.

_____

9:32 a.m. update: The crowd gathering at the Swift & Co. beef packing plant in north Greeley is apparently going to try and block buses and vans leaving the plant with employees picked up by Immigration and Custom Enforcement officials this morning.

The crowd is moving to the north exit of the plant on the east side of 8th Avenue in an attempt to prevent the buses and vans from moving.

“We're going to be standing in front of where the buses are going out,” Marta Granillo said in Spanish. “Let's see if they drive over us.”