Federal Warrants Net 23 Illegal Alien Workers at Major CA Flower Grower

ARCATA, Calif.- U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) special agents executed federal search warrants at the local headquarters of one of the states major wholesale flower growers, The Sun Valley Group, and at the residences of several of the companys employees, taking a total of 23 illegal alien workers into custody on administrative immigration violations. Of those arrested, 19 were encountered at The Sun Valley Groups headquarters. Two other workers were arrested later as agents executed search warrants related to the ongoing investigation at the homes of nine of the companys employees. The final arrests occurred after two employees originally sought at the companys facility in the morning came forward and turned themselves in late in the afternoon. A 24th employee of The Sun Valley Group, who was being sought as part of the ongoing investigation, was determined to be in the custody of the Humboldt County Sheriffs Department on an unrelated state charge. ICE agents processed the individual and lodged an immigration detainer against him ensuring he will come into ICE custody once the local case is completed. The arrests are the result of an investigation that originated with a call to ICEs tip line. During the ensuing probe, agents uncovered evidence that some of The Sun Valley Groups workers used Social Security numbers and alien registration numbers that were either fraudulent, did not belong to them, or did not authorize employment. In addition, some of the companys workers are believed to have falsely claimed to be United States citizens or legal permanent residents. All of the illegal alien workers identified during the operation, including 18 men and six women, are citizens of Mexico. They were photographed, fingerprinted and processed by ICE. They were also interviewed to elicit information about possible health, caregiver or other humanitarian issues, and to identify any urgent medical needs. The information aids ICE in making decisions about whether to detain an individual or permit a conditional humanitarian release. Ultimately, 22 of those arrested were released from ICE custody. One of the male workers, who had an extensive criminal record, was turned over to the Humboldt County Sheriffs Department based on an outstanding warrant issued out of Southern California. The remaining 21 aliens were released under ICE supervision pending future immigration proceedings. Only one of the illegal alien workers encountered during the enforcement action, a male who had been previously deported, will remain in ICE custody awaiting a hearing before an immigration judge. To help employers build a legal workforce, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced a new initiative called the ICE Mutual Agreement between Government and Employers or IMAGE. IMAGE is designed to build cooperative relationships between the government and businesses, strengthen hiring practices, and reduce the unlawful employment of illegal aliens. The initiative also seeks to gain greater industry compliance and corporate due diligence through enhanced training and education of employers. ICE strongly encourages employers to review IMAGE program materials available at www.ICE.gov.