Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents launched a raid of several construction sites in central Florida last week, arresting 33 migrants working without authorization and warning companies that this is just the start of future raids.
ICE turned out at new home construction sites in The Villages near Orlando in Sumter County on May 14 along with members of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tampa, according to Fox News.
Officials report that up to 30 individuals fled the scene as ICE agents fanned out, but 33 were arrested for immigration violations.
Those arrested included several Mexican nationals, as well as migrants from Honduras and Guatemala. Four now face felony charges for repeated re-entry after deportation.
ICE interviewed more than 350 individuals during the operation.
Officials also said they took down information about companies that employed the illegal migrants and warned that there would be follow ups on those employers, who broke federal and state laws in hiring illegal migrants who were not eligible to work in Florida.
HSI Tampa warned over the practice of continuing to hire illegals and urged employers to participate in the IMAGE program. The ICE Mutual Agreement Between Government and Employers is designed to help employers verify the legal status of workers before hiring them.
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