More than 300 suspected illegal immigrants arrested in South Carolina

More than 300 suspected illegal immigrants were arrested Tuesday morning at a chicken processing plant near Greenville, S.C. -- the latest in a stepped-up federal enforcement effort that has resulted in the deportation of thousands of illegal workers in recent months, reports Richard Fausset.

Tuesday's raid was led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials and involved hundreds of agents from numerous agencies. The target was Columbia Farms, a processing plant that had been the subject of a 10-month criminal investigation.

Resident David Wynn witnessed the hubbub from down the street and applauded the news.

"The excuse that they're taking jobs that Americans won't do -- well, that just doesn't hold water anymore," said Wynn, 48, the co-owner of a nearby air-conditioning wholesaler who spoke Tuesday afternoon by phone. "With the economic crisis we've got going on, we've got to put a stop to it."

Click here to read the rest of the report of the arrest of a suspected 300 illegal immigrants in South Carolina.

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-- Deborah Bonello in Mexico City

Image: Santa Maria Diego, 68, center, a worker at Columbia Farms in Greenville, S.C., is comforted by her granddaughter Maria Juan after the raid. The chicken processing plant had been the subject of a 10-month criminal investigation. Mary Ann Chastain / Associated Press

Comments

[Jason Gallegos]

Could you say South Carolina and not just "S.C."???? I thought you were talking about southern columbia for a while.

Acronyms are the enemy or writers.

[Cindy Femore]

Illegals are just like us. They're trying to make a buck and improve their lives. But that's no justification.

Just ask a drug dealer why he sells drugs. He'll likely say it's because he can make a better living and give his family a better life. OK. Sounds good, keep it up.

Just ask a prostitute. She'll likely say it's because she can make a better living and give his family a better life. OK. Sounds good, keep it up.

Just ask someone who's speeding. He'll likely say it's because he's busy and can spend more time with his family if he speeds. OK. Sounds good, keep it up.

Illegals. I am tired of it. I'm tired of the trash you throw on streets. I'm tired of the overcrowded slums. I'm tired of you stealing every bicycle from my neighbor's yards. I'm tired of my tax dollars paying for your kids. I'm tired of the gangs. I'm tired of the sexual assaults.

[Jeffrey]

IF YOU'RE SUCH A RESPONSIBLE, CARING MOM, WHY WOULD YOU HAVE A CHILD IN A COUNTRY WHERE YOU COULD BE DEPORTED AT ANY TIME??? THESE TEAR FILLED WOMEN MAKE ME ILL!

fight back against illegal immigration! register to fight back at www.numbersusa.com!!!

[Gill Parkman]

I say keep up the good work!!! The abuse of tax payer's funds, Medicaid, food stamps, should not go unpunished. They either come here legally or not AT ALL!!!

[Becky Lewis]

Why do they keep showing pictures of the law-breakers being upset?

When someone is murdered, the articles don't show the murder's family crying about the fact the this person will now have to go to jail.

How about us? My neighborhood has been devastated by illegals. Why do you think I read this and post messages.

Because illegals are destroying my quality of life.

[Alex Finner]

Buzzm1,

Those jobs at the meat packing plant shouldn't be done by Americans at those wages. The wages are low because you have 100 million illegals begging for the job because they know they get free school for their kids, free medicaid, food stamps, etc. In the end, we pay for the lower wages anyway.

Also, if we there's a shortage of low skilled cheap labor, then we (our country) is forced to innovate. We would have to come up with tools, technologies, etc that allows us to pack meat with fewer laborers.

So when we have a flood of illegals wanting to do the job, it hurts America. We now have a large number of low skilled, low paid workers that can even afford to live in the United States.

There's now NO incentive for the companies to do their operations more efficiently. What do they care, there's 100 million people waiting in line to do the job and live off the innovation of the rest of America.

If we didn't improve and innovate, we would ALL still be farmers, just like everyone was 200 years ago. Illegal immigration is bad. It's like cheap gas - which leads many people to drive gas guzzling polluting cars.

And if you want to be FAIR, then let any and all immigrants into America. Then those meat packers would see their wages plummet and competition for those jobs extremely fierce. The illegals benefit because most of the eligible work force (250 million people South of the Border) are kept out of the country. I guess crime does pay. And we American's are the ones paying for it.

[Phil]

Aaron is right . The U.S should open its borders to the
billions of poors people in the world. They should all
be provided with food stamps, free medical care, housing
assistance and free education for as many babies as they can produce.

[franks]

Aaron,

Aspiring potential citizens apply from their home country to enter the U.S. They come here with our permission and with the intent of becoming citizens in every sense. They do not become burdens on U.S. taxpayers or steal identities.

We are still the beacon of freedom, admitting over 1 million legal immigrants yearly. I'm guessing you already know that. To expect us to absorb every poor person who wants to come here is not only absurd but invites anarchy.

We once had vast regions needing settlement. We now have dwindling resources, failing infrastructure, and gridlock. Mass immigration helps only businesses while having a hugely negative impact on our citizenry.

If we were all given the option to support or opt out of supporting illegal aliens with our taxes, then you should put YOUR money where your mouth is and ante up. I would choose to have my tax dollars spent on Americans.

[Debbie]

Keep up the Good work! We need to enforce laws now before Liberals take over.

[mlimberg]

What about the 300 law biding Citizens fo America who had their identifications stolen by these people?

The day America stops caring more about Americans and more about criminals, is the day the inmates will begin to run the asylum.... oh, I guess that is already happening... it just called being liberal....

Don't like American Laws, go home..... or to Hell, take your pick....

[Buzzm1]

THERE WILL BE NO AMNESTY!!!

OUR ACCEPTABLE IMMIGRATION REFORM

#1. Secure Our Borders!!!
#2. Mandate E-Verify for ALL Employees!!!
#3. Mandate E-Verify for ANY Benefit!!!
#4. Stop the Underground Economy!!!
#5. End Birthright Citizenship for Illegals!!!
......and make it retroactive!!!
#6. End Chain Migration!!!
#7. Make English our Official Language!!!
#8. Cut Off Federal Funds to Sanctuary Cities!!

NOTHING MORE!!! NOTHING LESS!!!

[Aaron]

Hey Delaware Bob, why don't you take a job at a meat packing plant? Or better yet send your kid to take one? What? Don't want to? Too hard? Too dirty? Too gross?

Instead; keep supporting the fascists who want to send hardworking, aspiring potential citizens home. Unless you're a member of an American Indian tribe or a descendant of slaves, you've got no ground to stand on!

If you want to build walls to keep people out of the country move to Russia or China, they love your kind of politics. Of course, they might not be quite as decent to non-natives as America, but hey, who cares, right?

"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me. I lift my lamp beside the golden door."

What's happened to America? We used to be the beacon of freedom.

[Southoc]

Americans did those jobs before illegal immigrants started draining our tax rolls. Now that the moneys is gone we have a ticking time bomb. Americans will be needing those jobs again.

2nd largest part of the Mexican economy is illegal immigration.

The State of California subsidizes illegal immigration.

Vote out your incumbents. Enforce US laws.

[ddh]

This needs to be done at all the Plants and throw the CEO in Jail and fine the hell out of them , all the Illegal need to be thrown out too !!!

[Matt]

If the Feds would have done their job on the southern boder they wouldn't be having to do it in South Carolina. But at least they're finally doing it, or at least they're trying to make it seem that way.

[Delaware Bob]

With all the bad news lately, the economy, war and wall street, it was a pleasure to hear some good news for a change. This raid by ICE just made my day. When are these ILLEGAL ALIENS going to learn they are breaking the law being here?

I hope they come down VERY HARD on the meatpacking plant. Start to send a message to these un-American businesses that hire ILLEGAL ALIENS. The problems with these ILLEGAL ALIENS is just, well, OVERWHELMING! It's time to get these ILLEGAL ALIENS back to their own country where they belong. It's time for them to pick up their ANCHORS and ship out!

The taxpayers deserve a break from the BILLIONS upon BILLIONS it cost us every year, from the dropping of their ANCHORS to the forged documents and crime.

To enter this Country is a PRIVILEGE. It is NOT a RIGHT! No ILLEGAL ALIEN has a right to be here. Clear enough?

GREAT JOB, ICE!

[richard boyce]

If they would stop resisting the sending of the Social Security no-match letters these episodes would end percipitously. Send them! Implement e-verify now! It's matters like this, medical care abuse, food stamps, etc. that will melt away all resistance to a biometric national id card. If you can't see it coming you are blind.

[Sandra Webb]

Why are they constantly raiding this plant and no others in South Carolina? Anything seem a little strange about that? Seems like a personal thing to someone that is wasting tax payer dollars.

[Sandra Webb]

Why are they constantly raiding this plant and no others in South Carolina? Anything seem a little strange about that? Seems like a personal thing to someone that is wasting tax payer dollars.