Swift & Company resumes operations following immigra - leatherbiz: Lea Leatherbiz

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Swift & Company resumes operations following immigration raid

19/12/2006

US fresh beef and pork processor Swift & Company has resumed operations at all six of its facilities where operations were temporarily suspended whilst interviews were carried out by the US department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The interviews concerned an ongoing worksite enforcement investigation into immigration violations and a massive identity theft scheme that has targeted a large number of US citizens and residents.

The investigation, which is ongoing, has uncovered criminal organisations around the country that traffic genuine birth certificates and social security cards belonging to US citizens. ICE agents learned that many of these genuine identity documents were trafficked to locations around the country and sold to illegal aliens who used them to gain employment at Swift.

ICE officials questioned all Swift employees present in each of the six plants, and apprehended 1,282 illegal workers on administrative immigration violations. Of these, 65 have also been charged with criminal violations related to identity theft or other violations, such as re-entry after deportation.

Swift & Company was able to resume operations at all facilities the same day, but at reduced output levels. All facilities are now operating on all shifts, however, initial output levels are expected to be below normal levels in the short-term. No civil or criminal charges have been filed against the company.



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