Louisiana: ICE arrests 80 illegal immigrants in workplace raid

Immigration and Customs Enforcement and several other federal agencies arrested more than 80 illegal immigrants, including several with criminal records, during a checkpoint operation at a worksite at a Louisiana racetrack.

The operation took place on June 17. It came after a brief pause in arrests of illegal immigrants at farms, hotels and restaurants was lifted. Similarly, sources told of authorities receiving information that companies operating stables at Delta Downs racetrack in Vinton, Louisiana, were employing unauthorized workers.

“ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is working closely with our federal and state partners to review every case of unauthorized employment at the racetrack, in order to identify any additional criminal activity beyond labor exploitation and immigration violations,” said Eric DeLaune, Special Agent in Charge of ICE HSI New Orleans, in a statement reported by Fox News.

Among those detained were individuals with criminal records. For example, ICE identified Enrique Gonzalez Moreno, 36, who crossed the border from Mexico into the United States illegally four times. During his unauthorized stay in the country, he was convicted twice of driving under the influence of alcohol and once of cocaine possession and illegal re-entry.