Fifty-seven people in the country illegally were detained after a raid on an upstate New York snack bar plant last week, according to federal prosecutor who warned Tuesday that employers can expect more large-scale workplace enforcement actions.
John Sarcone, acting U.S. Attorney for northern New York, said five of the people detained after the raid Thursday in rural Cato, New York were criminally charged for illegally re-entering the United States. The other 52 were detained pending deportation proceedings.
The advocacy group Rural and Migrant Ministry has said most of the people detained at the Nutrition Bar Confectioners plant were from Guatemala. It happened the same day immigration authorities detained 475 people at a manufacturing site in Georgia where Korean automaker Hyundai makes electric vehicles.
Sarcone told a news conference that the investigation in New York was continuing.
“We will aggressively pursue criminal investigations against those who violate our laws by employing non-citizens without authorization. There will be consequences. The bad old days of turning a blind eye are over,” Sarcone said.
Factory owners said last week that their employees had legal documentation and that they did not know why they were raided.
Calls seeking comment were made to the factory Tuesday and an email seeking comment was sent to a co-owner.
Federal agents converged on the nutrition bar plant Thursday morning and took workers away in a Border Patrol van, according to photos and videos of the raid. One worker told The Associated Press that immigration agents ordered everyone to a lunch room, where they asked for proof they are in the country legally.
Democratic elected officials called it an example of heavy-handed immigration enforcement under the Trump administration. Gov. Kathy Hochul said detaining parents put “at least a dozen children at risk of returning from school to an empty house.”
Sarcone said social service agencies were involved and no children came home to an empty house.
The Trump administration is urging public health agencies to prioritize investigations of vaccine injuries, prescription drug use, and the cause of autism. This call is part of a new “Make America Healthy Again” report released on Tuesday. Overseen by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the report aims to end childhood diseases in the U.S. by refocusing public health on his so-called “MAHA” movement's priorities. The report suggests using personal medical records and health insurance data to investigate diseases and disorders, including autism. It also addresses issues like ultraprocessed food consumption and water quality. The report calls for increased oversight of prescription drug ads, especially those by social media influencers.
The Justice Department has charged a man with the fatal stabbing of a Ukrainian refugee on a North Carolina commuter train. The charge means he could face the death penalty. Decarlos Brown Jr. has a lengthy arrest record with 14 prior criminal cases. He allegedly killed 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska last month on a train in Charlotte. The case has sparked debate over crime and transit safety in such cities. North Carolina prosecutors charged him with first-degree murder. He now also faces a federal charge of causing death on a mass transportation system.
Missouri's Republican-led House has passed a plan to redraw the state's congressional districts at the urging of President Donald Trump. The plan now moves to the state Senate and could give Republicans a shot at winning almost all of Missouri's U.S. House seats. The mid-decade redistricting is part of an emerging national trend, following similar efforts in Republican-led Texas and Democratic-led California. Missouri's plan targets a Kansas City district held by a Democratic congressman by stretching it into rural Republican areas and reducing its minority voters. The Missouri NAACP has sued to try to stop the special legislative session.
The Trump administration has launched ramped-up ICE operations in Chicago. The Department of Homeland Security is calling it “Operation Midway Blitz” and says ICE officers will target “criminal illegal aliens” in Chicago. It’s part of President Trump’s focus on “sanctuary cities.” Homeland Security announced the move on social media with the mugshots of 11 foreign-born men it said should be deported. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker accused the Trump administration of using scare tactics and said federal officials have not coordinated the effort with his state.
The Trump administration is launching the ‘America Prays’ initiative. Housing Secretary Scott Turner said the plan is to infuse prayer with celebrations of America’s 250th anniversary next year. Turner joined President Trump during an appearance at the Museum of the Bible. The president declared that “we will never apologize for our faith.”
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